Bruises and Chocolate
by animeangel404
Summary: Being a superstar had its perks. There was the fame, the parties, the women. What if one event changes the life of Mamoru Chiba forever? Now trying to become a better person, it’ll take one person to open his eyes. AU - UM
1. Chapter 1

Summary – _Being a superstar had its perks. There was the fame, the parties, the women. What if one event changes the life of Mamoru Chiba forever? Now trying to become a better person, it'll take one person to open his eyes._

**Author's Notes: I know. I write stories and never finish them! I have the time on my hands to finish this and my other stories as well. If you check out my profile, you'll be fully updated on everything I'm planning. Also feel free to add me on Twitter and Livejournal! I'm a Twitter addict. I hope this is okay for my past fans and my future fans. I'm trying something new. This idea came to me out of nowhere. I think it's pretty creative. Anyways, I'm done blabbing. Enjoy!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, characters, and etc.

* * *

The city of angels was exactly what he dreamed it to be. Moving away from home at the young age of seventeen, Mamoru Chiba fell into the American entertainment business and he fell hard. Hollywood never encountered such a dominant young Japanese musician. His record label was near bankruptcy when they made the decision to separate the teen from the home he had known. Unlike most people, Mamoru left without a single goodbye. He never regretted not looking back. At least, he didn't regret it yet.

The night air and crowded Los Angeles streets were his home. Nearly two in the morning, a nineteen year-old rock star stumbled out of LAX with his arms wrapped around two future Playboy centerfold models. The three were obviously intoxicated, underage, and dense. "Dude, where in the hell is my limo?" Mamoru asked violently pushing the girls off him. The blonde only laughed while the brunette snuffed.

"I told you we could have taken our limo back to the house. Do you listen? No. You just insist you know your way around here because your limo is so cool." The brunette said as she lit a cigarette. The pink sequined mini-dress she wore shimmered as the moonlight hit it. She flipped her long artificial locks over her shoulder as she blew smoke out of her mouth.

"Damn, Bambi, chill. We'll get home. Live a little. It's summer of 06 baby!" The blonde screamed as she jumped up and down, nearly flashing the people behind her. Bambi only scowled at her friend and rolled her eyes. By that time Mamoru had taken out his cell phone.

"Rick, who the fuck told you that you could leave? What do you mean you got hungry? There's shit in the limo to eat! Look bring your ass back here in less than five or you'll be hearing from Brooks understand? Never mind, I don't even want to see your damn face." The cell snapped shut and Mamoru felt his muscles get tense. He never waited for anything in his career. He was Mamoru Chiba for God's sake! Narcotic Records _owed him_. He took a deep breath of the night air and snatched Bambi's cigarette out of her hand.

"Hey!" She exclaimed.

"First of all, whoever told you smoking makes you look cool or thin or whatever lied. You look like a dirty wench. Second of all, don't you ever talk to me like that or you'll find yourself in a back alley bleeding out of your ears. You understand?" Mamoru said crisply as he stared into the girl's eyes. Bambi, who was born in Brooklyn and was always tough, wanted to cry. For the first time in her life, she heard some guy talk to her as if he owned her. Bambi's friend stood besides her rubbing her back as they both watched Mamoru walk down the street.

"Mel, what in the hell just happened?" Bambi asked. The petite blonde only shrugged.

"I don't know but that guy is cold."  


* * *

His apartment smelled of cigarettes and cologne. As he pushed through the clutter on the floor, he growled. He had a maid. Why in the hell wasn't she doing her job? The tall boy made his way into the bathroom. After turning on the water in the sink, he looked at his midnight blue eyes in the mirror. This was his life. Every night he went out on the streets of Los Angeles, found some new model, actress, singer, or porn star to hook up with, got annoyed easily by her childish antics, and went home.

He didn't remember how he met Bambi and Melanie. He didn't remember where they came from. He just remembered that he was sitting in the VIP section of LAX. A little while later, two girls where exchanging shots with him. They were fun while he was completely buzzed. When the buzz started to wear off, he became weary of them. He could have hit a few lines of coke and made it worth his time. Eventually, Bambi's big mouth would have gotten him arrested. He definitely was not interested in pulling jail time.

Mamoru sighed and splashed cool waterr on his face. His eyes had a few dark circles under him. The past two years of partying were starting to show on his face. He remembered fighting with a make-up artist over it during one of his shoots. How in the hell did Americans expect him to live? They shipped him to their country to party and only got pissed when he did. "Backwards logic." Mamoru muttered as he turned the water off. The boy walked through the bathroom into his large bedroom and stripped off his shirt. Only wearing a black muscle shirt that contrasted well on his tanned skin, Mamoru pulled the covers off of his bed and fell into his mattress. Only a few minutes later, he found himself drowning into a deep sleep.

* * *

Hundreds of young girls stood outside in the Los Angeles heat. Fan memorabilia for Mamoru Chiba covered the sidewalks as high-pitched screams crowded the air. It was a Monday afternoon and still the fan turnout was unperceived. A petite Japanese-American girl and her best friend waited patiently. They were luckily the owners of the fourth and fifth spots in the line. Today was the day. After two whole years, they were finally going to meet Mamoru! "Georgie, how do I look?" the girl asked as she spun around for her best friend to see. Georgina squealed.

"You look like Mamoru's future wife!" The girl and her friend squealed even louder as they hugged. "Saki, you are so awesome. If your parents hadn't gotten us these tickets, we would have never ever in a million years been able to meet him. Can you imagine? The two of us, standing right in front of Mamoru as he signs his CD! I will keep this forever and give it to my children. NO! My grandchildren. NO WAIT! My great-great grandchildren!" Saki only laughed as her friend continued her dramatics. Georgina was bubbly and full of life every day of the year. When Saki moved to Los Angeles from Philadelphia, Georgina was the first person to greet her. They had been best friends ever since. She was only a few inches taller than Saki and had a style of her own. Georgina wasn't into fancy designers and usually shopped in the thrift stores.

Meanwhile, Saki's family were completely conservative. Saki always attended the best all-girl private schools. She was accustomed to wearing uniforms and even on her free days, most of her clothes were black or navy blue. Her parents gave her a little freedom when they moved to Los Angeles. Of course they had no idea that Saki and Georgina had matching tattoos. Saki had dark brown hair down her back. She was very simple and inspired to be a fashion designer. There were plenty of opportunities for her bright future in Los Angeles.

Whatever happened between the two of them, Georgina and Saki made the best of their everyday lives. They just had no idea that today was the day that both of their lives would change forever. Mamoru Chiba played a huge part in the past two years of their lives. They had never met him and would only see him on TV and at concerts. Mamoru Chiba was definitely a life-changer and usually it wasn't in a good way.


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Notes: Okay this story is very slow in the beginning. There are a lot of extra characters who seem to mean nothing. Trust me, it all ties together in one way or another. **

Disclaimer: I still don't own Sailor Moon and etc.

* * *

Mamoru sighed as his limo pulled up into the parking lot. There were at least five hundred girls waiting for him. There was no way in hell he was going to meet and greet all of them. He didn't care if it was his job; he was not interested. Most of the girls were jailbait anyway. The few that weren't were creepy. He groaned as he unbuttoned a few buttons on his shirt. It was too hot in Los Angeles to be wearing so much black. His stylist needed to be fired. He ran his hands through his soft jet black hair and sighed. How much longer was he going to wait for them to be ready?

Mamoru's personal assistant was a twenty-five year-old law student who needed to pay her rent every month. She was barely making above minimum wage taking the orders from her Japanese dictator of an employer. She was his slave in and out, every day, for nearly two years. She didn't know why, but deep inside she had a soft spot for the kid. He came into a country he knew nothing about and got swallowed up quickly by the business. He didn't make more than $40,000 a year. The record company was cheating him out of millions of dollars and he didn't seem to care. Either he was extremely naïve or just uninterested in money.

She stood at the front of the line of the girls with her clipboard in her hand and earpiece glued to her ear. "Management says we're ready. Get him to the stage."

Mamoru found himself being escorted by one bodyguard to the small setup stage in a shaded area. He forced himself to smile and wave at his fans as he sat. He hated this act. Kelli, his personal assistant, sat next to him and started her daily order of directions. He wasn't a child and he hated when she treated him like one. "Kelli, really, cut that shit out." He said silently and snatched the directions from her hands. Kelli tapped her fingers on the table in front of her. He was so intolerable.

* * *

Saki and Georgina tried to hold in their enthusiasm as they were guided to wait in another line. However, this line was ten feet away from the guy they worshipped. Mamoru rolled his eyes as the screams became louder. He was dealing with a migraine and a hangover from the night before. He was in no mood to deal with these people today. Saki frowned as she caught Mamoru roll his eyes. "Hey, Georgie, do you think he even wants to be here today? He seems a bit annoyed." Saki whispered to her friend. Georgie looked over at Mamoru who was now wearing a plastic million dollar smile.

"Hun, I have no idea. I just know he is looking sexy and if you don't want him, pass that taste of Asia this way." Georgina said before whistling at Mamoru. Saki only laughed at her friend, ignoring the feeling in her gut that something was not right.

The first two girls, twins as fate would have it, approached Mamoru. He smiled and signed their CDs. The girls took pictures and screamed. Mamoru winced but continued to be polite. The girl in font Saki and Georgina was a bit younger than they were. Her hair was in two ponytails and she only asked Mamoru to sign a picture for her mother. Mamoru cringed at the thought that someone's mother was in love with him. This was going to be a long day.

Saki and Georgina hugged each other tightly before approaching the table where Mamoru was sitting. Saki encouraged Georgina to go first. Georgina hugged her best friend once more before approaching Mamoru. She noticed he was playing with the tattoo on his right wrist and greeted her without looking at her. Maybe Saki was right. "Um hi. I just want you to know that my friend Saki is completely in love with you. She's sweet as hell so be nice to her." Mamoru snapped up to look at the girl in front of him. Kelli snuck a glance at her as well. "I don't want an autograph, just be nice. Her name is Saki. She's from the same town that you're from. She's sixteen and you're pretty much the best thing that ever happened to her. Be nice." Mamoru sucked his teeth and Georgina only leaned in closer. "Be fucking nice." She hissed before walking away and winking at Saki.

Saki smiled and noticed the expression on Mamoru's face spelled complete displeasure. He whispered something to the woman next to him and stood up from the table. "Mamoru, you can't just leave. Narcotics will have your head." Kelli whispered.

"I didn't come here for crappy hormonal bitches to talk shit to me. I can leave Narcotics and go solo. I don't need this shit." Mamoru stated loudly. Saki gasped as she heard him. How could he say that? How could he even say that about her best friend? Her mental image of the superstar was crushed. He wasn't worthy of her praise. Tears formed in her eyes and she ran up to the table.

"Hey! Where are you going?" She demanded.

"Little girl please move." Mamoru stated coldly.

"Um, he isn't going anywhere. Mamoru, stop it." Kelli pleaded. He was going to have her head. Saki ran behind the table and stood in front of Mamoru.

"You're just going to leave? You have a duty to your fans." Saki said standing boldly. Georgina watched her friend stand up to Mamoru and she gasped. Saki was normally quiet and sensitive. She rarely stood up to anyone. Standing up to Mamoru Chiba was serious.

"I don't have a duty to do shit." Mamoru said pushing Saki out of his way. He walked past her, the one mistake he would always regret. It seemed like time flew into hyper speed and the only thing he heard was a single gunshot. He dropped to the ground and shut his eyes. His heart was pounding. He heard the screaming, the running, and the crying nearby. _Oh God. Oh God._ When he realized he wasn't dead, Mamoru opened his eyes to see hundreds of teenage girls in complete chaos. _What in the hell happened?_ Mamoru turned around and lost his breath. Lieing on the ground in with his CD in her hand, Saki's body was on the ground in front of him, lifeless. Mamoru instantly knew what had happened. She was shot. She took a bullet for him. Mamoru choked back tears and slowly touched her check. Why would anyone do this? Why would anyway lose their life for him? He looked up to see the girl's friend in hysterics, kicking and screaming. He felt sick to his stomach. He did what Mamoru Chiba did best. He got up and ran.


	3. Chapter 3

**Author's Notes: I'm sorry to jump from one situation to another so fast but I'm sure you guys are ready to have Usagi in this already. Things aren't moving too fast are they? I think there's a lot more that's going to happen. Stay tuned!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, characters, concepts or etc.

* * *

_Three years later…_

In a small suburb of Tokyo, Japan, autumn winds traveled through the Juuban district. A petite blonde rolled over in bed and sighed. She should have been out of the door nearly twenty minutes ago but today she just felt sick. Her parents were gone now. Two weeks ago, Kenji and Ikuko Tsukino were both killed in an eight car pile-up. While their daughter and son were at home playing the family's Nintendo Wii, Kenji and Ikuko were losing their lives. The girl now lived alone. Her brother, Shingo, now sixteen, decided to leave home. He left to live with their grandparents nearly two hours away. Her entire family fell apart in a matter of two weeks.

The blonde sat up and wiped the tears from her eyes. She had to be strong. She had to support herself. She had to be okay. As if on cue, her phone rang. Her blue eyes squinted, reading the caller ID on her Blackberry Storm before answering. "Moshi Moshi Minako." She said, her voice scratchy.

"Hey Usagi-chan! Not going to classes today? Ami asked so she could inform your professors to e-mail you the coursework." The cheery voice on other line was filled with concerned. Usagi hated it. She hated that she was putting so much pressure on her friends to take care of her. She had to be an adult. She had to take care of herself. The girl got out of her bed and sighed.

"Tell Ami it's okay. I sent the e-mails out last night. They gave me another week off but I have to be in classes next Monday." Usagi stated as she walked into the bathroom.

"Okay, well I have Vocal Recognition in about ten minutes so I gotta go. Want me or Mako-chan to pick something up for lunch?" Minako asked.

"No, no you guys have class. The commute is bad enough as it is. I'll go visit Motoki for lunch. I'll be fine." Usagi said, adding a little cheer in her voice. She said her goodbye to her friend and ended the call. She had a week to get herself together. She could not continue to carry this depression while juggling university. It was unacceptable. She slipped off her camisole and bottoms and stepped into the shower. "One week Usagi. One week."

* * *

At Juuban University, a tall slender raven-haired girl walked with her arms linked to a taller brunette and a shorter blue-haired girl. The three of them walked in silence but seemed closer than ever. Their rock was falling apart and it hit them hard. What were they going about Usagi?

"I don't know about you guys, but I'm so stressed. Everything has been a mess this month." The girl in the middle stated as the three girls reached their destination. They grabbed a table outside at a nearby coffee shop.

"Yeah, I've just been so worried. She's staying in that house all by herself. She rarely comes out. I haven't seen her since the funeral. She looked so pitiful and poor Shingo." The brunette stated. Genuine sadness covered her heart. Her parents both died over a four-year span and she had been alone since she was twelve. Seeing Usagi go through so much at once broke her heart. Usagi was the last person to deserve it.

"I know Makoto, but there's only so much we can do. We're giving her the space she needs for this healing process. Maybe she needs a little more attention to return to the things she likes to do. We need to get her out of that house. She seems a bit attached." The blue-haired girl stated putting on a pair of black-rimmed reading glasses. Minako walked up to the girls and took a seat next to Makoto.

"Sorry I'm late. I just finished talking to her. She sounded like she had been crying all night. She barely has a voice." Minako reported. The four girls exchanged concerned glasses. Usagi was falling into a heavy depression.

* * *

Meanwhile, on the opposite side of town, Usagi roamed the streets in a black sweater and a pair of jeans. She had a black and white stripped scarf covering her sore throat and her leather handbag in her right hand. Her black and white Chuck Taylors scraped the ground as she walked. She felt exactly as she looked, pitiful. Everyone that walked past her created the feeling of loneliness. Her heart sank and she wanted to cry. Maybe it was too early for her to leave home. Maybe she wasn't ready.

The thought of returning to university in a week made her nervous. She needed to suck it up and get over herself. She wasn't the only person losing their parents in the universe. Nothing made her special. The girl rubbed her forehead. She needed to at least get some food in her system. She decided that seeing Motoki would definitely make her feel better.

Motoki, who was settling himself nicely in graduate school, stood at the front of his family's restaurant. The restaurant was small, quaint, and very friendly. It smelled of good food and even better desserts. It was Juuban's best kept secret. He looked shocked as he saw Usagi walked through the door. He had never seen her look so torn apart in the many years that he'd known her. He didn't even know she owned black clothing. Her long blonde locks were pulled on top of her crown in a messy ponytail. He looked to see her clutching her handbag tightly as if she nervous. "Usagi-chan!" He called and gave her a faint smile. She didn't smile back and only made her way towards him. She held back tears as the older boy wrapped his arms around her. "How are you doing? You look great." He said as he finally let her go.

"I look terrible, Motoki-kun. I feel terrible. I can't sleep. I can't eat. I haven't seen the girls in a week and they worry. I feel like a failure and I'm not ready to finish school. I'm not even sure of my future anymore. I don't think I want to go back to school, Motoki. I'm having all of these crazy people thoughts. I'm irrational and I've lost three pounds. I miss Shingo. He won't call me back. I miss mom and dad. I miss feeling like the world was such a great place. It's not a good place for me anymore." Usagi said nearly all at once. Her last statement broke Motoki's heart.

Usagi was a girl who helped everyone. She volunteered whenever she could. She was never thought anyone was a bad person. He never heard her swear in his life. She would give roses and hugs to strangers. Her spirit was pure and full of good energy. Her heart was full of love for her to share with everyone. Usagi Tsuskino did not deserve to lose her parents at the fragile age of nineteen. She didn't deserve to lose anyone.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Notes: Thank you so much for the reviews. I didn't notice the billions of grammar/misspellings until I looked back this morning. I definitely should have triple-checked before uploading such sloppy chapters. I apologize! I fixed the errors in the previous chapters. I also checked this chapter twice and had a friend look over it. Let me know if there are any grammar errors here as well! This chapter seems a bit short. I was going to make it longer but I didn't want to jump from one situation to another so quickly. This definitely means an update will quickly follow this one.**

**BloomAmber **– I've never seen that movie. I'll definitely IMDB it and check it out. It sounds sweet!

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, concepts, characters, and etc.

* * *

Juuban was his home. There weren't many other places he could go. In Japan, Mamoru Chiba was never a superstar. His name faded out of the American tabloids within a year of the shooting. The name Mamoru Chiba did not mean anything to anyone. Day after day, he searched for the meaning of his life. He always came to the same conclusion. His life meant nothing. His life was not worth living, and everyday was a struggle for mental survival.

The windy morning dragged on into a windy afternoon. Mamoru finished his only class for the day, ventured onto his motorcycle, and rode past Juuban University. He was working on getting the degree could've gotten years ago. Pre-superstardom, Mamoru was an honor student. Now he was making up for two years of lost time. He continued his original career path of becoming a neurologist. Pre-Med was not difficult for him to keep up with, especially with so much time to think.

As he weaved in and out of traffic, he wondered where he could stop for lunch. He overheard a few JU students talking about a small restaurant in town. He decided he would stop there and see what all of the commotion was about.

* * *

Usagi and Motoki sat at a booth together. He watched her play with noodles. Every few moments, she would take a few bites here and there. He could see how she lost three pounds in two weeks. She was barely eating. Motoki knew very little on the grieving process. He had no knowledge on how to take care of Usagi or how to make her feel better. She looked up at him and sighed. "I just don't know anymore. What should I do?" She asked.

"What would make you happy right now Usagi? What do you want to do?" Motoki asked her. She looked down at her food and shrugged. Seeing her parents would make her happy. She could never do that again.

"I want everything to be okay. That's all. I don't care what happens. I just want to make it all okay now." Usagi started. She stopped when she noticed Motoki frown, his eyes staring at the entrance. She had only seen Motoki frown a few times in her life. Something definitely was not right.

"Um look Usagi, I'll be right back. I have some business to attend to." Motoki stated. He ruffled his sandy blonde hair with his hands and left the booth. Usagi looked behind her to see a young man with jet black hair. He sported a Juuban University hoodie and a pair of jeans. She noticed a YAMAHA helmet in his left hand. She noticed his dark, cold eyes. He looked almost apologetic as Motoki made his way towards him. The two men, around the same height, exited the restaurant. Usagi looked down at her food and thought. Where had she seen that guy before?

Motoki couldn't believe his eyes. Mamoru Chiba was standing in his family's restaurant. After five whole years of disappearing and not saying a thing, he had the nerve to show up. Mamoru stood silently on the sidewalk, closer to his bike. He should have known Motoki's family owned the best restaurant in Juuban. It only made sense. Motoki would do only one of two things: forgive him or kill him. The look in Motoki's eye definitely supported the second decision. "Chiba, what are you doing here?" Motoki's voice was calm and collected. He definitely was different.

"I, um, I didn't…I came to get lunch." Mamoru said quietly staring at his feet.

"Lunch? You came here to get lunch? There are five other restaurants on this block and you came here to get lunch? Are you serious?" Motoki asked, the anger in voice becoming more apparent.

"Look I had no idea you even worked here! I didn't know this place even existed until two fucking days ago. I just wanted some damn soup. You don't have to go postal. I'll leave if you want." Mamoru said, standing up to Motoki. Motoki looked at the boy and laughed.

"Of course you'd offer to leave; it's what you're good at. You left me here! You left on my damn birthday! After you fucking promised me, but you know what Chiba, you can leave. You left once and that confirmed every damn thing people said about you. You're cold and heartless. Even worse, you're pathetic." Motoki said walking off from Mamoru. The blood in Mamoru's veins grew cold. Hell would freeze over before he would let someone like Motoki show him up like that.

"I'm pathetic? Huh?! You're the one fucking holding on to some shit that happened five years ago! Don't call me pathetic! You're the one that's pathetic!" Mamoru called after Motoki, throwing his helmet to the ground. Motoki stopped walking. That was the last straw. Not only did wonder boy disgrace him once, he was attempting to do it again.

"What did you say?" Motoki asked walking up to Mamoru.

"I said you're pathetic. You heard me." Mamoru said. Motoki snickered before throwing a fist into Mamoru's jaw. The years of anger, regret, and frustration over the broken friendship let loose into a few swinging fists.

* * *

Usagi stood up as she noticed people began whispering about a fight outside. Motoki would never fight. Would he? She rushed out doors to see Motoki throwing the other boy against the wall and punching him in the face. From the condition the boy was in, it was safe to say Motoki was winning the fight. Seeing somebody she cared about omit such violence frightened her. She had to stop him.

Motoki's hand was wrapped around Mamoru's throat as Usagi stood in between them. Her eyes were full of fear and tears. "Motoki stop! Stop it right now! Let him go!" The demand and authority in her voice made him submit to her wishes. He released his grip on Mamoru's throat and stepped back. He watched as Usagi attempted to hold Mamoru up and checked him for injuries. Seeing his lip bleeding, Usagi un-wrapped the scarf covering her neck and wiped his lip.

Mamoru only stared at the girl. She looked so familiar but he felt as if he never saw her a day in his life. She looked tired and hurt. She was unbelievably thin but had curves of young-adult. He noticed her golden locks on top of her head and tried harder to put her face to a name. Every thought he had came to a blank. "Are you okay?" She asked him quietly. Her eyes were full of concern and it made him worry. Here was a stranger trying to take care of him. He didn't deserve it. He didn't reply. He pushed away and grabbed his helmet. It only took seconds before he left their sight with Usagi's scarf in hand.


	5. Chapter 5

**Author's Notes: I'm sorry for not updating sooner. I've been so busy! I recently moved to Florida with my fiancé :) I've had to deal with a lot of drama from home. It was clogging my creative process. Now I have the time to sit and think so here's an update. I haven't given up on this story yet. So expect normal updates to continue. I made this chapter a bit longer so it will make up for my absence. Thanks for all of the reviews/story watches. It's greatly appreciated!  
**

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon. We know this because it's still off-air.

* * *

Bruises and Chocolate  
Chapter 5

His living space felt like a black hole. Mamoru Chiba no longer lived the life of a rock star and it was obvious. The place of his residence was frigid, empty, and tiny. It was nearly 1/4th of the penthouse he called home in Los Angeles. The studio-style apartment had everything in one room. The only things that were separate were the bathroom and closets. As he lay on his empty bed, his mind roamed with thoughts. _Where did Motoki get off attacking him like that?_ Sure he was a complete asshole and probably deserved it, but he had never expected Motoki to be so violent. The self-destructive thoughts in his mind felt like today was a complete confirmation of everything he thought of himself. He was worthless. His life was only there for the purpose of making others miserable. So many times he fantasized about ending it, but even he was not man enough to end his own life. He dwelled in self-misery, living in the past nightmares he had seen. Mamoru's heart was dark, cold, and unforgiving of himself.

As he played the events of the day back in his mind, he often found himself pausing on the face of that girl. _Who was she?_ Her eyes seemed so familiar, but so dark at the same time. They were not dark like his but different. This girl seemed to be drowning in a lifetime worth of sorrows. She was very protective of Motoki, but extended out her hand to him as well. She could possibly have been Motoki's girlfriend, but they did not seem to be romantically involved. Maybe he didn't want them to be romantically involved. Mamoru sighed and mentally screamed at himself. He did not want Motoki to hate him. How was he going to change that when he hated himself?

* * *

Unlike Mamoru's apartment, the place where Usagi found herself that evening was warm. It was warm, smelled of pastries, and felt like a home. She sat at the table in the family room watching a strange idol performance. Her eyes were on the television but her mind was elsewhere. "Usagi, I'm glad you came over for dinner. I haven't seen you since…in a while. I missed you." Makoto, the tall brunette, entered the room with a tray of dumplings in her hand. She mentally kicked herself for almost mentioning the funeral. She had to be more careful with her words. Usagi was rarely sensitive, but now she was in an extremely frail state of mind. Nobody could understand how she felt and it didn't seem like she was opening up anytime soon.

"Well I have to be honest; I wouldn't have come if something strange didn't happen today. I didn't know who else to turn to you. You know Motoki the best." Usagi stated simply, gently giving a faded smile at her friend. Makoto lifted an eyebrow at her petite friend as she sat across from her.

"What about Motoki? Is he in trouble?" Makoto asked before placing the dumplings on the table. Usagi shook her head in response.

"I don't think he's in trouble. He was in a fight today." Usagi's voice remained calm and quiet. Makoto nearly choked on her dumpling.

"In a fight? In a fight with who? Is he hurt? Usagi you're going to have to give me something to work with here. What in the hell happened today?" Usagi sighed simply. Makoto did have a bit of a temper, so she had to be selective with her words.

"I went to have lunch with Motoki. Some guy walked into the restaurant and Motoki excused himself. I was sitting there when I heard commotion coming from outside. I ran out to see Motoki's hands crushing the guy's throat. Motoki did a number on him because his lip was bleeding. I tried to help him out, but he got on his bike and drove off. When I asked Motoki about it he said it was nothing so I left. It was obviously something. I have never seen Motoki angry in my life. The guy looked familiar but my brain drew a blank. He's about the same height as Motoki, dark-hair, dark blue eyes. I couldn't even catch a name from either of them. I just know this guy looked apologetic, like he was carrying the weight of the world. I've never seen anyone with that look in their eye. He looked like he had no one. I guess I felt for a millisecond that maybe somebody else understood what I was going through. Now I'm rambling." Usagi began snacking on a dumpling to stop from talking. She had come to get help about Motoki, not to talk about the way she felt.

"I don't know. That's a tough one. I don't think Motoki would ever hit someone without having a good reason. I know you feel differently, but that guy is probably bad news." Usagi only sighed. Nobody was ever going to understand. The way she was felt was far from normal. She couldn't continue to wake up every day and feel like dying. She had to push through this, and somehow she felt like one person could help her do that. The problem was shaking enough information out of someone to find out who this guy was.

"You're probably right, Makoto. You're probably right." Usagi thanked her friend for the time and left. For the first time in a long time, Usagi felt motivated to do something. However, this could be the something that ruined her life.

* * *

The classes at Juuban University seemed to be come longer and longer as the day drew on. Mamoru had no idea why even decided to attend today. As if he were not already in living hell, the only person he thought he had left on this earth basically wanted him dead. He was cursed. Why was he living to begin with? He took lives but continued maintain his own. He hated his life.

Rei and Minako escaped from Intermediate Shakespearean Drama and proceeded to hideout in the library. They definitely were not finishing classes for the day. Being the two intellectually challenged of their group of five, they were in need of some relaxation. "I can't believe Professor Laurence made us write fourteen pages of notes. I thought British people were nice." Minako complained as she and Rei sat at an empty table.

"They are nice. Professor Laurence is just a spawn of evil spirits. I do not like him at all. However, we have more important things to worry about right now than our falling GPAs. Did Makoto tell you what happened with Motoki at the restaurant yesterday?" Rei asked.

Feet away from them, the sound of Motoki's name caught Mamoru's ear. His eyes shot over to the blonde and raven-haired girl sitting a few tables away from him. Did everyone in Juuban know Motoki? Were there always that many blondes in Juuban?

"No, what happened? I think she called me last night, but I was too busy trying to catch Artemis. He got away from me again last night." Minako said, blowing a blonde strand of hair out of her eye. Rei laughed.

"You're such a cat lady. You're never going to get married and live with Artemis until you're dead." Rei giggled.

"I am not! Rei don't say that!" Minako protested standing up. Rei covered her mouth, noticing the string of attention Minako's outburst had brought them.

"You dumbass, we're in a library. Shut up." She spat. Minako rolled her eyes and took her seat. "So anyway, back to Motoki who isn't a cat lady. Makoto said that Usagi came over last night." Minako gasped. "I know. Anyway, Usagi told her that Motoki was fighting some guy outside of the restaurant. Obviously our Motoki was the one who was giving the ass whooping. Apparently they don't get along but Motoki wouldn't give any details. Usagi said he was fine until he saw the guy. It was like he snapped our something. We all know Motoki isn't like that. He wouldn't just snap on somebody. He's the nicest person I know. However, Makoto said Usagi seemed to be making excuses for the guy. I forgot what was said but Makoto is worried that Usagi is losing it."

"That's serious. Usagi hasn't spoken to any of us since the accident. I don't know what to say or how to make this better for her. I trust Usagi's judgment though. She has the best judge of character with people. She was always that way." Minako pointed out. Rei nodded in agreement.

Mamoru tapped his fingers at his laptop trying to process the conversation he had just endured. "Usagi." He solemnly whispered her name. Why did that sound so familiar? He looked over at the two girls again. Rei? Minako? Their names sounded quite familiar as well. He was sure he had known these girls once upon a time, especially Usagi. He closed his eyes and tried to concentrate. Suddenly it felt like a ton of bricks hit him over the head. _Usagi_. It couldn't be. She couldn't be. He opened his laptop and quickly loaded Juuban University's website. After logging into his member's dashboard, he quickly found the student directory. After typing the name Usagi, he nearly choked on his oxygen. Usagi Tsukino's profile was on his laptop. As if his life couldn't get any more complicated, it did.


	6. Chapter 6

**Author's Note: I promised I would finish this and I will! I really love this story and a lot of recent reviews have pushed me into continuing. I must admit, after recently moving, I've had a lot on my plate to juggle. I just started my own graphic design studio. I've been sick. I've just had a lot but I never forgot this story once! I'm glad I've gotten to write such a long chapter. It's definitely new to me. I hope you all enjoy it. This chapter is really confusing but it will be explained in due time.**

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, concepts, characters, and etc.

* * *

**Bruises and Chocolate**  
Chapter 6

Usagi and Ami sat in Ami's dorm room working on their Microbiology thesis research. Unlike Rei and Minako, Ami and Usagi were very studious. Usagi was never the scholarly type throughout her primary and middle school years. However, in high school Usagi changed. Nobody really understood what had made Usagi become studious, quiet, and less outgoing. She became quite focused on her college lifestyle and her future career.

Ami, on the other hand, was always a bookworm. She was well advanced in her studies at a young age. She spent a lot of time alone, focusing on her future career of a neurologist. Ami was always the top of the class, even at the end of their high school career. It shocked Ami and everyone when Usagi graduated second of the class. However, it made Ami feel less lonely. Usagi was a wonderful friend and now she could discuss assignments with her. Ami often reflected on how happy Usagi's parents were at graduation. Their death seemed so sudden and unexpected. They were gone forever. It was hard to watch her friend deal with such a heavy burden; but deep down Ami knew Usagi become stronger than ever. There was never any replacement for lost parents, but Usagi had a love like no other. She had a good soul and loved everyone. Good people like Usagi always got through hard times.

"Did Makoto talk to you about Motoki?" Usagi finally asked Ami. Ami looked up at her blonde friend through her thick-rimmed black Dior glasses.

"She sent me a text earlier. I didn't have time to check my phone before class. I'm guessing it was about that situation." Ami stated simply, her voice light and firm as usual. Usagi gave her friend a faint smile. That's one thing she loved about Ami, she was never caught up in gossip.

"There was a fight the other day. Motoki and some guy were fighting outside of the restaurant. I know Motoki's our friend. I trust him the same way I trust Shingo. However, something was wrong, Ami. That guy, he just seemed…lost. I know many people don't understand it. I know Rei and Minako probably think I'm crazy. Hell, at times I think I'm crazy. I saw something though. I saw something in his eyes. He seemed so guilty." Ami noticed the tears forming in Usagi's eyes. Usagi was serious.

"I don't think you're crazy, Usagi. I think you're being quite thoughtful and courageous. Sure, Motoki is our friend, but we shouldn't blindly assume he was right. It takes courage to look at such a situation from two perspectives. Perhaps the young gentleman is dealing with a situation similar to yours. I know Motoki probably doesn't want anything to do with the person, but you should ask about him. If you feel this passionately towards something, you should pursue looking further into it." Ami said reassuringly. Surely Makoto would have her head for this later on down the road. She gulped at the thought of Makoto chasing her around with a burning spatula.

"You really think so Ami?" Usagi asked closing her notebook. Ami smiled and nodded. Usagi quickly stood up and collected her things. "Thank you for understanding." With that, the blonde was on her way.

* * *

Makoto, Rei, and Minako sat at a back booth of Motoki's family's restaurant, The Orange Blossom. They had been watching Motoki work and avoid them for most of the afternoon. He was not in the mood to be questioned by his friends. They were not in the mood to be ignored. However, they had their hearts set on solving the mystery between Motoki and this mystery guy. There wasn't much to be said between the three girls. They watched as Motoki sent his co-workers to wait their table and the ones surrounding them. He would occasionally glance at them and gesture for them to leave. The three girls would then take turns on ordering more food. He knew they were racking up a pretty hefty bill that he'd end up paying for. He hated being the nice friend.

If it weren't for Usagi, he was sure he'd be rid of the three by now. Somehow Usagi rooted some type of deep compassion for people inside of him. He really didn't need that compassionate side. He needed the side that made him friends with Mamoru. Just the thought of seeing Mamoru the other day made him ill. How could he? After just leaving him behind, to venture off into American pop superstardom. What type of friend was that? He admitted to himself that he did worry about the situation Mamoru had gotten himself into. Nevertheless, anger still wondered aimlessly throughout his veins. There was no denying the fact that Mamoru had created a mess, as always, being the center of some scandal.

"When do you think he's going to stop ignoring us? It's been two hours now." Makoto stated groaning as another plate of fries was brought to the table. The waitress snubbed them after placing the plate on the table. She was exhausted from delivering plates to and from the table.

"He'll have to come over here soon. He hasn't taken a break in a while. Is it so wrong to wonder what the hell is going on in your friends' lives? There's drama and nobody wants to give us details. We've been there for Motoki and we are looking out for Usagi. We deserve to know." Rei said slamming a palm down on the table. Makoto shrank in her seat as the people eating next to them looked over at the trio.

"Not so loud, Rei." Makoto hissed. "I knew this would be a terrible idea. I don't know how you two talked me into it. I should have studied with Ami and Usa."

"Nonsense, my brunette friend! We are here for the safety and well being of Usagi. Even if we do things a bit more radically than the average friends. We're her family now, and that technically makes us sort of Motoki's family. In a way. Erm, somebody justify my reasoning please." Minako pleaded. Makoto laid her head on the table. Somehow she had to get through this day with her two friends for Usagi's sake. She wondered what Usagi was up to.

* * *

Mamoru stood outside of the Tsukino residence, holding a striped black and white scarf in his hand. He hadn't seen the house in years. He was surprised that he remembered the address. The home in front of him was definitely not the home he remembered. It seemed lifeless and dull. There was no smell of baked goods coming from the kitchen window. The garden was dead, covered in weeds. It didn't seem that anyone lived there at all. The fall air felt bitter around him as he walked closer to the front gate. Perhaps they did not live there anymore. Knowing the Tsukino's, Mamoru figured that they moved to a larger house towards the country while Usagi was in school. There were still too many unanswered questions.

Mamoru looked over his shoulders to see if anyone was around. There didn't seem to be anyone in the neighborhood. He climbed over the little white gate and slowly treaded the path towards the door. What would he do if they were home? Would they react the same way Motoki did? Did they even know about him and his reckless path? He secretly prayed they didn't. Approaching the front door, Mamoru noticed a few flowers and letters left on the doorstep. _"They are probably out of town."_ He figured as he bent down to look at the notes left on the ground. _"We are sorry for your loss. Here are our condolences Miss Usagi. Your parents were wonderful. Please contact us if you need any help." _Mamoru slowly rose to his feet, trying to swallow the large lump that formed in his throat. This couldn't be. His only foster parents were dead.

* * *

Motoki sighed. His mind was made up. Somewhere amongst the five plates of fries, Makoto, Minako, and Rei intimidated him. He made his way towards their table, mumbling a prayer of regret to repeat afterwards. "Hello ladies, you're taking up valuable table space." Motoki smiled.

"We are valued customers. We're having a very intense discussion." Minako smirked before taking a short sip of her Coke.

"Mhmm." Motoki mumbled. "So are you going to tell me what you're really here for?" Makoto sat up in her chair and straightened her tee.

"You know what we're here for, Toks. So spill. Tell us what the fuck happened." Makoto stated plainly, her green eyes resting on Motoki's. Motoki figured Makoto would take control of the situation. She always was the hostile type, in a seductive way. "Motoki." Makoto said, clearing her throat, interrupting his fantasy.

"Oh erm yeah right. I just had a bit of a brawl with an old, ex friend of mines. It's nothing for you guys to be camping out here and gossiping about it. Don't you have classes? I mean really, guys, you're wasting so much time." Motoki started.

"What friend, Motoki? Stop giving us this anti-climatic bullshit. I've been here eating your family's food all day and I want to know what the fuck happened. Go." Rei said flatly, crossing her legs and her arms at the same time. Her lip gloss covered lips were pursed and her arched eyebrows, pointing downwards. She was definitely not pleased with his behavior. Motoki sighed, running a hand through his blonde hair.

"I grew up with this kid, Mamoru. He moved off to America with some singing deal. He was a complete asshole about it, never talked to me, and never wrote me. So he showed up here and I just got pissed and went off. I couldn't control my emotions okay. I'm not guilty of anything so could you lay off the jury act?" Minako exchanged glances with Makoto.

"So that's it? That's completely boring! I thought he was like sleeping with your ex-girlfriend or something. Oh Motoki you're so overdramatic." The blonde sighed, slumping in her chair. Motoki felt his eye twitching.

"Me? Overdramatic! Oh come on, you three just sat here for two and a half hours stalking me in my restaurant and you're calling me overdramatic? For the life of me I do not understand you three at all! Fuck it; I'm going back to work." Motoki ranted before storming off.

"He's such a drama queen." Minako sighed, rolling her blue eyes.

* * *

Usagi dreaded this time of day. She dreaded coming home to this empty house. There was no life there. She felt lonely, and it hurt. As much as she pretended that she was okay, she was dying inside. She spent the entire day looking for her "mystery man" and came up with nothing. She wanted to ask Motoki but she was sure he wouldn't tell her. As she walked closer towards her home, she spotted a lone figure sitting on her doorstep holding her scarf in his hands. Her heart skipped a beat. It was him! He was here! How in the hell did he find her? She took a deep breath before approaching her front gate. The man had his head buried in his hands, grasping her scarf tightly. He appeared to be weeping, but she wasn't so sure.

"Um, excuse me. Excuse me, sir." Usagi gently stated. Her voice sounded light as a feather. It was the same way he remembered it, after all these years. Sure she sounded a bit more mature and stern, but soft as an angel. He blinked away tears and looked up at her. He didn't notice while fighting with Motoki, but she was beautiful. She stood at a mere 5'5, with long light blonde hair flowing down her shoulders. Her bangs framed her heart-shaped face well. Her cheeks were glowing pink, illuminating her pale skin. As beautiful as she was, her blue eyes did not shine. They were full of pain and loneliness. He could not imagine how she felt. Sure he had lost his parents, but not at such an age. How does one heal from such pain with so many years of memories?

"I'm sorry. I came to return your scarf." Mamoru said quietly standing up. Usagi admired his physique. He was definitely not your run of the mill Juuban citizen. He had a bit of a rough edge to him. His hair was long, roughly covering his masculine facial features. He wore a black hoodie underneath a gray blazer with dark washed jeans. He had to be at least six feet tall. His skin was thoroughly tanned. With a bit of a goatee covering his chin and a faint hint of a mustache, she figured him to be around the same age as Motoki. He had a bit of an accent in his voice. She wondered if he was mixed with American or British. He walked towards her and she felt her heart rate increase with every step. Was she going completely insane now? "I didn't mean to be a stalker. I'm sorry. I just found you in the school directory." Usagi smiled. That made a bit of sense.

"Oh you're a student at Juuban?" She asked immediately.

"Yeah, graduate school actually." He said looking down at his bowling sneakers. "I um well I am sorry about what happened to your parents." _"Smooth move moron."_ Usagi's smile quickly faded. Her eyes looked over at the neighbor's gifts on her doorstep. She should have thrown those out a long time ago.

"It's okay, really. It happens." She said, her voice barely above a whisper. The wind danced between the two of them and Usagi rubbed her bare shoulders. She should have worn a jacket. Mamoru noticed the chill bumps on her arm and wrapped her scarf around her neck. He quickly removed his blazer and placed it around her. "You really shouldn't. I'll be okay."

"It's pretty cold out here. As a future doctor, I can't really see myself being responsible for you getting sick. You should wear a jacket you know." He started. Usagi felt tears in her eyes. "Oh no, please don't cry. I'm sorry." Mamoru started, not knowing how to respond. Usagi simply shook her head.

"No, no, I'm sorry. It's just, you don't know me. For the past few weeks, I haven't been able to differentiate what's genuine care and what's sympathy for me. You're being genuine. I don't know how to respond to this." Usagi stated, wiping her eyes.

"I don't know myself." Mamoru mumbled.


	7. Chapter 7

**Author's Note: Thank you everyone for all of the reviews. I really am glad to see that people are still interested! I'm still carrying out the original story plot. I hope this chapter gets things into perspective a bit. I made this chapter longer! **

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, concepts, characters, and etc.

* * *

**Bruises and Chocolate**  
Chapter 7

Motoki stood outside of the restaurant only minutes after 1 AM. He had to work later than he intended thanks to his friends' stunt earlier. The chilly night air left the streets of Juuban empty at this hour. A few lights illuminated the streets, including the lights of the local pub across the street. The owner, an older male, stood outside taking the last hits of his pipe. He tipped his hat to Motoki, and Motoki sent him a short wave. "That will most likely be me in forty years." Motoki mumbled to himself.

He reached into his messenger bag and checked his Nokia N97. He received a text message from his younger sister, Unazuki. She asked to borrow his laptop over the weekend. Motoki rolled his eyes at the thought of sharing anything with Unazuki. Despite living on his own, she somehow kept tabs on his property. What stood out to Motoki was that he hadn't received a single phone call or text from Usagi all day. Usually she would text him before she went to bed to tell him she was okay. After being hassled by the three stooges, he definitely needed to check in on Usagi. How else was he supposed to know that she was okay?

* * *

Fashion magazines were always full of drama. At least that's what Georgina Lawford learned in her past year of interning. She stood outside of the magazine's office building in Manhattan with a cigarette to her glossed lips. Her fingers were covered with black lace fingers; her fingernails adorned with black nail polish. She wore a pair of black Jimmy Choos with her Rock and Republic acid wash jeans. Her outfit continued with a white Betsey Johnson blouse covered with a black boyfriend jacket she picked up from a thrift store in Atlanta. Georgina was never into fashion until three years ago. Her heart ached daily with endless thoughts of her old friend. She focused on making Saki's dream a reality. If it was the last thing she completed on earth, Georgina would make Saki's fashion line happen.

Shortly after the shooting, it seemed this great Mamoru Chiba disappeared into the Earth's atmosphere. Georgina searched daily for months after Saki's death, trying to find out what happened to ex-superstar. His career seemed to fade into darkness. There were no answers. There were no traces. It was as if he never existed at all. It was good for his sake. If Georgina ever found a trace of the douchebag, she'd have his head. He never apologized. He never took responsibility for what happened that day. She never forgot the look in his eyes as Saki was shot. Georgina's thoughts were interrupted as a gust of wind blew. She shrugged her shoulders and walked towards Starbucks. Autumn was in full swing, and something was different this year.

* * *

Mamoru didn't know how long he'd been there, but somehow he was sitting on the Tsukino's porch holding their sleeping daughter. He didn't want to wake her so he wrapped her up in his jacket. Of course she couldn't spend the entire night out on her porch in the arms of a stranger, but he didn't know what else to do. He definitely could not take her back to his place. She would think he had taken advantage of her, which he wouldn't blame her for. He wasn't known for having the cleanest of records when it came to women. Mamoru sighed as he looked down at the sleeping blonde. Her bangs fell elegantly over her eyes as she slept in complete serenity. It seemed to be the first time she slept in months. He had readjusted his position a few times and she didn't budge.

He couldn't believe this was the same Usagi. She had grown up so much. She knew nothing of him or their few years together. He was truly a ghost to this life he left behind. He never thought he'd be in this position in a million years. He figured the Kenji and Ikuko would live forever. They left a family and a world of secrets behind. Mamoru didn't have the heart to ruin a life of another girl. Maybe he could get out before it was too late. Before Mamoru could mentally debate with himself, he felt a pair of eyes staring dead at him. He looked up to see Motoki holding a flashlight in one hand, and the other hand balled into a fist. This was not going to end well.

_They were all there. Usagi sat with her parents and her brother at breakfast. Ikuko brought pancakes to the table, smiling brightly in her polka dot apron. Shingo sat across from Usagi adjusting the settings on his DSLR. Kenji held the paper in one hand and a mug of coffee in the other. Usagi was so happy. They were all together, like they were meant to be. She looked down at her pancakes and sprinkled them with powder sugar. Ikuko went on to discuss how their aunt was coming to visit over the summer for a few days. Shingo groaned and complained about their rowdy cousins. Kenji slightly agreed, but scolded Shingo anyway. Usagi couldn't help but to smile. She had missed them so much. It felt wonderful to be reconnected with her family. _

Motoki steadily controlled the rage he felt boiling within him. He had no idea who Mamoru Chiba thought he was, but the scene in front of him needed a clear explanation. "Do I even want to know what the fuck you think you're doing? Seriously Mamoru? Seriously?" Motoki hissed through his teeth, taking slow steps. He had to remember he couldn't physically do anything. He didn't want to wake Usagi. Mamoru looked at his old friend and looked down at the girl cradled in his arms. He only looked back at Motoki, thinking of something to come up with. Motoki only walked past them, taking a key out of his messenger bag. He unlocked the front door and stepped inside. A confused Mamoru carefully stood up with Usagi in his arms and meekly followed his friend.

"_So Usagi, how's University been? You've been pretty quiet the past few days." Kenji asked his daughter. His voice was firm, but he could not hinder the pride in his voice. He would have never guessed that his little Usagi would have graduated in the top two of her class. She definitely proved him wrong. She passed her entrance exams easily. Usagi looked up at her father with a mouth full of pancake. Kenji stifled a laugh seeing powdered sugar all over his daughter's lips._

"_Usagi, you look like a coke whore. Wipe your nose." Shingo stated simply raising an eyebrow at his sister. He enjoyed giving her a hard time. Usagi shot her brother a glare and he responded by sticking his tongue out at her._

"_Kids, how old are we? Five? Cut it out. We're eating. Shingo, don't say whore at the table, or ever for that matter" Ikuko said firmly, hoping to put an end to the mini-feud her children were engaged in. Shingo and Usagi erupted into a fit of laughter, hearing their mother say whore. _

"_You two are never going to grow up. We're all adults here. I can say whore." Ikuko mumbled, indulging back into her pancake. Shingo and Usagi only laughed harder. Kenji snickered and hid his amusement by picking up his paper. _

"_Mommy, we love you, that's all." Usagi said, face free of powdered sugar. As if on cue, her cell phone ringtone of Utada's "Poppin" filled the kitchen. She quickly looked down at her phone. "Seems Motoki wants to meet before my first class. I must be on my way family." The blonde quickly stood up and grabbed her belongings. She kissed her mother on the cheek, rubbed Shingo's hair, and hugged her father._

"_Usagi, I'm proud of you." Her father stated. Her mother agreed with a nod and Shingo simply grunted. Usagi smiled at her happy family one last time before stepping outside._

Mamoru never would have bet in a million years that he would be in this situation. He sat quietly at the old Tsukino breakfast room table while Motoki made tea. The house was dark and eerie. How could a person such as bright and bubbly as Usagi even live in such darkness? How much had changed? There were signs that a family had once occupied the home. However, there were more signs that the house was full of loneliness and darkness. It was as if his curse had carried on to this place. He hated to think that they were dead. Ken and Ikuko didn't deserve for their lives to end so soon. Usagi surely didn't deserve it. Motoki returned to the table, placing a cup of tea in front of Mamoru. "Thanks." Mamoru said quietly. Motoki rubbed his hair in frustration.

"I don't understand you. I never have and I never will. I get that. Seriously, what the fuck are you doing right now Mamoru? You never called me. You never wrote. You did not care. I worried for weeks, for months even. Hell I was going through high school without my best friend. I didn't have anybody. Then I go walking buy a newsstand one afternoon, and here's the fucking hot shot on some American tabloid. You seriously have a lot of nerve. I can't believe you." Motoki said, trying to control the anger in his voice.

"Do you know how stupid I am?" Mamoru responded.

"Very fucking stupid." Motoki answered before sipping his tea. "I don't get you at all. Why did you come back here? You have to have millions of dollars. You just abandon it to come back to Juuban? I mean, dude, really? Do you enjoy making my life a living hell?" Mamoru only looked down at his tea. He saw so many faces. That girl, her friend, the Tsukinos, and now Usagi. How many lives had he ruined? How could he even live daily with this darkness of death surrounding him? Motoki sighed, placing his cup on the table. "You're different. You're not being an asshole, despite you always being an asshole. You're not the same. I don't know what happened in America. I don't want to know what happened in America. However, you're sitting in a shitstorm of emotional problems. If you're trying to get back in Usagi's life, you're going to have to be man enough not to leave. You don't have the best track record with these things you know. You can scorn me all you want, but you will not hurt Usagi."

Mamoru looked over at Motoki. His eyes were more than threatening. Motoki would probably kill him if something happened to Usagi. After the fiasco at the hotel, he didn't deny he was capable of it. "What happened to them?" Mamoru asked simply. Motoki looked around the empty house for any signs of Usagi being awake.

"They were traveling behind a bread truck coming back here. Kenji was driving. The guy in the bread truck had just left the pub across from the restaurant. He was apparently extremely smashed or something. He swerved and over-corrected, flipped. Before Kenji could even switch lanes, they ran straight into the front of the bread truck. Eight cars ended up being in the wreck, three fatalities. I heard crash from the restaurant, ran to help out. By the time I got there, Kenji and Ikuko were dead. Paramedics say they died on the spot. It took us three days to even get Usagi out of bed."

"Us?" Mamoru asked.

"Usagi has a very colorful set of friends. They've been there for her since around the time you left. I guess in the loneliness, I've grown attached to them all as well. "

"Oh." She had friends. It was good. Usagi was always so nice to people. She needed friends. She needed people there for her. She had no use for him in her life if she had good people there. He would only ruin it.

"She doesn't remember you, does she?" Motoki asked. Mamoru only shook his head in response. Motoki snickered. "Good old Usa. She didn't remember me either, the first time we ran into each other. She treated me like a complete stranger; so I didn't choose to correct her. You weren't there. I didn't think it was necessary. She does that to people. She forgets them. She'll make it seem like you never existed before. In an odd way, I think she literally forgives and forgets."

"Selective memory?" Mamoru asked.

"Something like that." Motoki responded. "What are your intentions Mamoru?" Mamoru's dark blue eyes caught Motoki's lighter green ones. He could see the stern protectiveness Motoki had over Usagi.

"I don't have any intentions. I am lost. I am fucked up in the head. I don't even know why she surrounds herself with me. I can't tell her to leave me alone. She deserves better than me." Mamoru rubbed his goatee. Why was Usagi so pure?

"Maybe she sees something in you that nobody else can see. You ever thought of that? I personally am leaning towards not completely wanting to murder you. I just don't understand you at all. You're running away from something. I'm sure of that." The words stung in Mamoru's ears. He had run away. It was his only option. Wasn't it?

"Maybe I've just given up on everything." Mamoru said.

"You haven't given up on Usagi." Motoki retorted. Mamoru didn't answer, only drinking his tea that was now warm. "It's late. I'm going home. I suggest you be here when she wakes up." Mamoru looked surprised at Motoki's statement. "What? You've stepped into her life, now you're going to be there for her."

* * *

Ami was headed towards the library to return a few books she'd borrowed for the study session she had the day before. She hadn't heard from Usagi since yesterday. She hoped she found her mystery man. Somehow, despite how outrageous Usagi's hopes seemed, Ami always found herself backing them up. Even when things seemed near impossible, Usagi made things happen. She was different. Ami balanced the books in her arms and slowly strolled across campus. She missed Usagi's smile and her laugh. Her friend was somewhere buried inside of the shell pain created. She just needed an opportunity to help someone. It wouldn't be long before Usagi was back to her old self.

Despite morning classes starting in a few minutes, there were very few students around. Ami found it humorous that even in University so many people chose to sleep in. Ami was the top Pre-Med student at Juuban University. She earned that title and not many people disputed it. The second student was well over ten points under her. Her exam scores alone were enough to make the other students weary of challenging her academically. Everyone enjoyed her humble behavior. If other students weren't familiar with her, they would have never guessed she was one of the top University students in the country. Ami took a rest stop at a bench and fixed her ruffled skirt. She looked up to see herself surrounded by Rei and Minako. She was in trouble.

* * *

Usagi stirred in bed as her cell phone vibrated beside her. She groaned and grabbed the device. Slowly opening her eyes she realized she had an abundance of missed alerts. She rolled her eyes and sat up. Her friends were supportive and overbearing at times. Her memory was a bit foggy of the night before. She certainly didn't remember going to bed. She must have made it somehow. She was still fully dressed. Groggily Usagi walked to her shower.

Reality stepped in as Usagi realized she was going to be late for her first class. She hurried down the stairs in her bra and panties with her clothes and bag in her hand. "Holy fuck." She stated trying to jump into her jeans. She stopped in her tracks and she looked over and saw a figure asleep at her kitchen table. It wasn't any figure; it was a male figure. Her response was that of any teenage girl with a male intruder in her home. She screamed.

Mamoru shot up at the sound of Usagi's ear-piercing scream. "What the fuck?" He stated covering his ears. He looked over to see a very adult Usagi standing in the foyer in her black lingerie. He quickly covered his eyes.

"Oh, it's you." Usagi said quietly as she stopped screaming. The memories the night before flooded her mind. "Oh, now I remember. Did you bring me inside? I let you in? You stayed the entire night? Oh wow." Mamoru heard her taking footsteps near her. Usagi pulled her large black tunic over her head and tapped him on the shoulder. "It's okay. You can look now." Mamoru uncovered his eyes and attempted to mentally erase Usagi's half-naked body out of his mind. He wasn't very successful. Her hair was messily pulled into a bun on top of her head. Her cheeks were red with embarrassment but she was beautiful. Mamoru adjusted himself in his seat and cleared his throat. He wasn't sure if he was sexually able to operate until that moment.

"Yeah, um, Motoki actually let me in." He said quietly. "I couldn't find a spare key and you fell asleep." Usagi thought to herself for a moment, and walked away to the pantry.

"Motoki was here too? Hmph, the nerve of him to call me nearly twenty times then." She said zipping up her jeans. "Well, I'm pretty sure I'm missing my morning classes. Apparently, I never eat or travel to the grocery store so I can't offer you anything. Would you like to go out for breakfast? We can stop by and see Motoki." Before Mamoru could answer, Usagi grabbed him by the hand and rushed him out of the door.

* * *

"You guys, I have class." Ami protested. Minako and Rei held her hostage in their dorm.

"Oh whatever Ami. We all know you're weeks ahead of the lessons." Rei said. Ami cursed herself for telling her friends that information. "Usagi hasn't answered her phone all night. Motoki hasn't answered his all morning. You didn't answer yours yesterday. We have reason to believe that the three of you know something that we don't."

"Yeah, you know and it's not fair. I can keep secrets!" Minako chimed in, stomping her foot. Rei only rubbed her forehead. As much as she loved Minako, she had a lot of growing up to do.

"I was studying yesterday. You both know that." Ami sighed.

"So where is Usagi? She was supposed to be crashing with you." Rei asked.

"She left early. She said she had business to attend to, and that's all I'm saying. You guys, if you want to know something about Usagi, ask her. Stop jumping to conclusions about everything. You act like we're a gang of secret super heroes searching for clues to solve some mystery. This isn't some television program guys! It's our best friend's life." Ami scolded the two. Minako only pouted, hating to admit defeat. Rei sighed and sat on the floor.

"It just feels like there are secrets floating around. That's all." Rei said.

"We would make a pretty badass team of super heroes don't you think?" Minako asked. Rei and Ami groaned.

* * *

Motoki sat at a back table soaking in a steaming cup of coffee. He barely slept the night before. He got home early and worried about Usagi. What if he was wrong about Mamoru? What if Mamoru had taken advantage of her? What was he going to do if she got hurt? Somehow his conscience convinced him that Mamoru was a different person. His brain said otherwise. As much as he hated to admit it, Usagi wasn't a child. They weren't always going to be there to protect her and shield her from the world. The world was ugly sometimes, and that's all there was to it. Usagi had to deal with it somehow. He just hoped she could deal with it all. Before he could gather another thought, he saw Usagi and Mamoru bouncing through the restaurant. He didn't know whether to be perplexed, happy, or disgusted. His stomach decided to take on all three emotions at once.

"This is a bad idea. You know that right?" Mamoru asked Usagi. She only grabbed his hand and pulled him towards Motoki's table.

"There's no such thing as a bad idea. There are good ideas that don't offer us the best results." Usagi stated simply. Mamoru only stared at the girl. He had a lot to learn about this one.


	8. Chapter 8

**Author's Note: Ah I'm sorry for the late update! I caught a bit of writer's block so I've been adding bits and pieces to the story. There's a lot going on with the characters and their personalities in this chapter. I am so honored to see the interest in this story! I've received many new subscribers and reviewers. I hope my writing style has improved dramatically! Feel free to leave a review. I don't bite, I promise! I've also been receiving visitors to my site, Static-Romance[dot]Org, from this story. You guys can add me on Twitter as well: missneela. **

**Also: The Cuteness – In reply to your review or anyone else if they're confused, besides the accident that Mamoru's parents were killed in years and years ago, the only accident directly involving Usagi was the one in which killed her parents. There is a reason why Usagi chooses to forget certain events in her life and I'll get into that later. Looks like I have a lot of explaining to do! **

**Oh Pee. Ess. – Are you guys still interested in drabbles? I was thinking of writing a few more drabbles for my drabble story.**

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, concepts, characters, and etc.

* * *

**Bruises and Chocolate**  
Chapter 8

Makoto felt guilty. She had distrusted Motoki and Usagi. She could not sleep all night and called them both to apologize. In response, she didn't receive an answer and it made her feel worse. She didn't know what she was thinking allowing Minako and Rei to drag her off into the deep end. She was embarrassed to have put Motoki in such a bad position and she was sure he wasn't speaking to her ever again. How was she supposed to marry him if he weren't speaking to her?

She put her sleepless hours to rest and decided to bake both of her friend's apology cakes. As much as she loved Motoki, and she loved Motoki; she wanted to deliver Usagi's apology cake first. After reaching the Tsukino residence to find it completely empty, Makoto was beginning to regret the entire idea. She was now carrying two mini-cakes in her tote bag without a clue as to where her best friend was. She held her head down as she completed her walk of shame, standing in front of the Orange Blossom. Makoto sighed and lifted her head up. She had to be confident! Motoki was always a sucker for her confidence. "Speaking of the devil." Makoto whispered as she caught a scene that would drive her back into shenanigans of Minako and Rei. Somebody had to deliver the news! After the confirming click sound of her phone's camera rang in her ears, Makoto was off in a speedy escape.

"You guys do know that there was a girl just at the window taking pictures of us." Mamoru stated plainly raising an eyebrow at the scene he just witnessed. Usagi and Motoki both turned their heads to see the streets outside completely empty.

"I think you're seeing things." Motoki whispered to his old friend.

"I wouldn't put it behind me." Mamoru mumbled taking a sip of his black coffee. Usagi scrunched her nose as he plainly sipped the coffee.

"I don't know how you drink it black." She said, holding a vanilla iced latte in her hands. "My dad likes- liked to drink his coffee back as well." Her eyes shifted downwards to her latte as reality set around her once again. She would never see her father drink another cup of coffee in her life.

"I'm sure Mamoru got it from him." Motoki said before receiving a sharp jab to the ribs from Mamoru's elbow. "Fucking ow." Mamoru responded by stepping on his toes. "I get it." Motoki hissed.

"I'm sorry, did you say something Motoki?" Usagi asked, stepping out of her personal mourning zone. Motoki only forced a smile, rubbing his sore ribs.

"Nope, nothing. Didn't say a thing." He said before whistling. Usagi looked at her friend curiously and shrugged her shoulders, returning her interest back to the window. Mamoru relaxed in his seat. How was he ever going to do anything with Motoki around? How did he end up in this position in the first place? Three days ago, Motoki was trying to find his esophagus with his fist. Now he was having coffee with him and Usagi of all people. Fate had its sense of humor. Maybe he was getting another chance to be something more than a washed up American superstar. Maybe chances did exist. He looked over at Usagi who appeared to be lost in thought. He just wanted this to end well.

* * *

"Guys." Ami groaned. "I want to go to class now."

"You'll live if you miss one day. We're bonding." Minako stated as she painted Ami's toenails. Ami shot Rei a look, who in return laughed nervously.

"You know how she gets." She mouthed to Ami. Ami's expression did not change. She was far from amused. A loud knock came from the other side of the door which startled the three friends.

"I'll get it. You two are playing beauty shop." Rei snickered. Ami scowled as Rei walked towards the door. Her nearly violet eyes peered through the peephole and she saw Makoto standing in the hall. "Oh look Mako-chan's here." Rei announced before opening the door.

"Gees, Rei, what took you so long?" Makoto asked hurriedly, placing her tote bag on the nearest flat surface.

"Did she bring food?" Minako asked in the other room. Rei peered into Makoto's bag.

"She brought us cake." Rei announced. Minako squealed in delight and Ami growled.

"Makoto, they're holding me hostage!" She pleaded. Rei, Minako, and Ami then erupted into a quarrel about Usagi, boys, pedicures, and Ami's split ends.

"Hey hey hey! That's enough! We've got more important things to worry about. Stop bickering like primary school children." Makoto said, stepping in between the two.

"It'd better be something good because these two are driving me insane." Ami announced. Minako stuck her tongue out at her and Rei shrugged her shoulders.

"Is this good enough?" Makoto asked handing Ami her cell phone.

"The probability of you being able to Photoshop such a picture in a short period of time and upload it onto your cell phone's data card is very low. I would say this constitutes for some of the torture I've endured this morning." Ami responded, holding the phone in her hand.

* * *

Usagi stood outside of the Orange Blossoms as the skies above settled despite their gray shading. It has been gloomy the past few days. She awaited Mamoru so they could head off. However, she was beginning to feel uneasy about this entire endeavor. Sure, he was Motoki's friend in a past life, but what did she really know about this stranger? He was tall, awkward, and withdrawn. He never spoke much about anything. Hell, she didn't even know his last name. She mentally slapped herself for allowing this to continue so far. Here she was weak, tired, fragile, and broken and she was foolishly allowing herself to just be thrown at this person. Was her brain clogged? She looked behind her to see Mamoru and Motoki discussing something into great detail. She took a deep breath and walked away. She wouldn't allow herself to be caught up again.

"I'm not sure I want to do this." Mamoru sighed, leaning against the counter. "You've said it yourself. I'm a dick. I don't deserve this at all. I can't. I'd hurt her. I couldn't live with that." The boy sighed and reached into his blazer pocket, pulling out a pack of cigarettes.

"I guess. She seems genuinely interested in making you happy, or something. Usagi's a bit different than other people, so to speak." Motoki stated as Mamoru lit the drag in his hand. Mamoru only shrugged.

"Some things are best left without me."

"Well you have her interest. You can't just walk off now." Motoki stated. Mamoru heaved and exhaled a small cloud of tobacco smoke. Motoki coughed as the smoke traveled up his nose. "You could pretend to give a damn every once in a while. You're lucky you're even getting this far with any of us. We don't exactly trust you. I sure as hell don't." Mamoru lifted his eyebrows in response and took another puff of his cigarette. He could calmly pretend not to listen to a thing Motoki was saying; but on the inside, Motoki was only confirming his fears about himself.

"As far as I'm concerned, I'm trying. You could give me a little effort for trying. She picked me. I didn't pick her. I was just a bit curious." Motoki only snorted in retort. Mamoru shrugged and looked outside of the window to see Usagi no longer on the sidewalk. "I guess we'll have to finish this discussion a bit later. Seems like Bunny's gone." Motoki looked out the window to see a couple walking in the spot where Usagi was standing.

"Maybe she took the hint." Motoki stated. Mamoru mentally rolled his eyes and walked away.

* * *

Usagi looked down at her cell phone and contemplated making a phone call. She was sure the girls were all freaking out by now. However, she did owe Ami the courtesy of telling her she was okay. Being an adult meant there were all of these crazy rules you had to follow to be responsible. Usagi hated that. She dialed a few numbers and waited patiently as the phone rang.

Ami stood out on Rei and Minako's balcony catching some of the cool late morning air. The temperatures were dropping daily. It wouldn't be too long before snow fall. She felt her iPhone vibrating in her pocket. With a few taps of the touch screen, Usagi's voice came on the other line. "Moshi moshi girlfriend." Ami joked, imitating Minako. Usagi only managed a giggle.

"I'm sorry for not returning your phone call earlier Ami. I got a bit caught up." Usagi rubbed her bangs as she continued to walk.

"It's fine. You know I don't mind Usa-chan. I was just worried a bit." Ami buttoned up her sweater as the breeze ran through her short blue locks.

"I know. I know. Ami, I think I've gotten myself into a mess." Usagi sighed. She continued to rub her bangs, a trait that showed her nervousness.

"Not as big as the one I got myself into." Ami muttered.

"Say what?" Usagi asked. Ami only laughed it off.

"Oh nothing, I'm just stuck at Rei and Minako's with Makoto. You know how our friends are. Did you find the guy?" Ami asked, already knowing the obvious answer to the question.

"Yes. Well actually, I found him on my doorstep. It was awkward. I sort of slept with him." Usagi started.

"WHAT?" Ami exclaimed on the other end, catching the attention of Rei and Minako's neighbors who were smoking on their balcony. She nervously waved to them but her heart rate wasn't calming down any time soon until Usagi explained.

"Oh no no no, not like that Ami. Oh goodness, no. I mean I fell asleep last night with him at my house. Motoki let him in and told him to watch guard. I'm so confused. First Motoki is breaking his nose; next he's making him my legal guardian. I can't keep up! I just don't want to get hurt." Usagi said all at once. Ami let out a huge sigh of relief. She wondered what Motoki was up to herself. He knew something that they didn't know.

"I mean if Motoki trusts him, he can't be too bad of a guy. Maybe they had some unsettled differences. Men are brutal with each other. They express emotions a lot different than we do. You know that." Usagi mentally slapped herself for throwing her University's education out of the window in her emotional crisis. _The Emotional Woes: Ode to a Psychology major._ She made a mental note to blog about her lack of rationalization in a controllable situation. Men were not as difficult as she was making them appear to be. She just had to take control of her emotions and think of this as a class assignment. When did she start becoming so emotional? Oh yeah, after her parents were killed. "I wouldn't worry too much. I think you can handle this Usagi. I really think you can. I'm not going to make you feel as if you're handicapped from emotional stress. I want you to be okay; but I don't want you to be sheltered for the rest of your life. Your parents would hate it. They would hate what you're doing to yourself. You're losing touch with all of us and it's killing you." Ami had a fine way of delivering the truth.

"I know. I haven't been an adult about this. Mom would have known what to say about this guy. Dad would have object. Shingo would have teased me. I miss them. I'm making them my entire life when they're not here anymore. I'm stuck in the past. I guess I'm scared of this guy because what if he'll be gone too. What am I saying? Am I digging this far into the future? Somebody drug me." Ami laughed at her friend, imagining the blonde slapping her forehead.

"You know, you said he needed you. You know what you see in this guy. Make his life brighter. The way you've been doing for us. We're perfectly fine. Somebody else needs you now, Usa." Ami smiled.

"I think a future with the both of us looks pretty bright if you ask me." A voice stated behind Usagi. Mamoru mentally slapped himself for using such corny comic book lines. He spent too much of his lifetime in Los Angeles. Usagi quickly said goodbye to Ami and ended the call.

"Were you eavesdropping?" She asked, hoping he would answer truthfully. She hated liars.

"Of course I was. I don't what it is about you and Motoki. I don't do people very well. I don't do social at all. However, if I have to, I guess I'll do social with you." Mamoru ran his hands through his black locks before placing them in his pockets. Usagi cocked her head and smirked.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?" She asked crossing her arms.

"It's a privilege." Mamoru retorted. Usagi looked at Mamoru as though she could see right through him, and he prayed she couldn't for his sake.


	9. Chapter 9

**Author's Notes: I am SO excited to update this story. It has been on my mind for the past two years and I kept losing my drafts of chapter nine. I finally have completed it. If you haven't been able to check it out, I updated **_**When Reality Isn't Destiny**_** earlier today as well. I am so inspired! I cannot believe the positive feed back I have gotten from the last few chapters I have uploaded. Thank you so much for all of your reviews and if this is your first time reading, welcome! I hope you enjoy. This is my absolute favorite fic of mines and I cannot wait for the story to continue to develop. This is a pretty long chapter so I hope that makes up for the two years of fail I've had.**

**Warning: I am twenty-one and my characters swear sometimes.**

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, characters, concepts, or etc.

* * *

Bruises and Chocolate  
Chapter 9

Ami walked back into the dorm room, instantly feeling the temperature difference. Her three friends sat on the floor eating cake and laughing away. "Who was that, Ami-chan?" Minako asked curiously, smiling sweetly. Ami only scowled at her as she sat next to Makoto.

"I'm still pissed at you, Minako." Ami stated. Minako pouted and batted her long eyelashes. "It was just Usagi. I called her earlier today to make sure she was doing ok. She's fine." Rei sighed a long sigh of relief.

"Thank God. Is she coming to school? What is she doing?" The raven-haired beauty asked curiously.

"She's just hanging out with Motoki's friend." Ami answered carefully. She could preemptively see the gates of hell flooding open and her soul being washed within. There was no way the girls were going to allow her to live with a simple answer. She began to plan out an escape route.

"What do you mean she's just hanging out? What if this guy is taking advantage of her state of mind? Usagi can't just go around making decisions without us!" Rei protested, her perfectly arched eyebrows explaining her emotions for everyone. Ami only sighed.

"Girls, I know we are all holding on but we have to trust her. Usagi knows what she is doing. She has a way with people. She can feel things that we can't feel. She knows how to read people. Just let her be with this guy. If he is bad news, we can all agree to murder him ok?" Ami said, her voice stern but quiet.

"Ami's right." Makoto agreed. Ami gave Makoto a weak smile, expressing her gratitude. "Usagi heals through healing. She's just one of those people."

"Oh alright." Rei said, giving in. She swallowed the last bite of her cake. "Just know that if anything happens, and I mean anything, we have to all make this guy's life a living hell."

"If it isn't already." Ami stated.

* * *

Georgina sat at her work desk, her manicured fingers dancing across the keys in front of her. She couldn't concentrate and writing a blog on social media was the last thing on her mind. She needed to get out of the office for a while. As her mind drifted, she noticed an unread e-mail message from her inbox. _Great_. _More fan mail from Beiber fans_. Upon opening her inbox, she saw the message was from her manager. _Great. I'm being fired over replying to Beiber fans_. She scanned the message quickly and gasped. All she saw was one the first line: **We will need you in Japan next week.**

* * *

Mamoru and Usagi sat on her couch in the living room. This was probably the most she had occupied the living room since the incident. The two of them sat in silence, watching a horror film she insisted to watch. Mamoru watched as the girl remained unfazed throughout the various murders in the film. Since when did Usagi Tsukino watch and _enjoy_ horror films? She didn't flinch as one of the main character's head was sliced off. She didn't even blink when a minor character shot themselves in the head. Mamoru found it more difficult to watch the images on the screen by the second. Meanwhile, the girl beside him just absorbed everything that happened in the fictional realm. Mamoru turned his attention back to screen, just in time to see the murder slit someone's throat. "Ok, how in the hell do you just watch this? This stuff is awful." Mamoru spoke up, turning to face Usagi.

"I don't know. I'm sure it happens in real life. People get murdered everyday." She answered without taking her eyes off the TV. Mamoru felt his chest tighten. His anxiety was kicking in. All he could see were eyes, the eyes of two girls as he ran away. He felt his breathing become labored.

"I need to get some air." He announced, before walking away from the couch. Usagi meekly followed, noticing a change in his behavioral pattern. She saw Mamoru fiddling with the cigarette in his hand. She had never seen someone so nervous. Mamoru sucked the smoke into his mouth, blowing it out through his nose.

"Does death make you uncomfortable, Mamoru?" Usagi asked plainly, looking out at her parent's yard. There were weeds growing everywhere. Her mother's garden was completely destroyed. When did she let things become so out of control?

"I haven't had pleasant experiences, somewhat similar to yours." He said quietly. He mentally slapped himself for his comment. He just couldn't control himself these days. His words were like daggers, always hurting someone.

"I don't know what you have gone through but I'm sorry. I'm sorry you are hurting. I know what it likes to feel pain, I really do. It sucks." Mamoru took another long drag of cigarette. He watched as Usagi's eyes scanned the garden. "What are you running away from?"

"You don't want to know." He answered sternly. He threw the cigarette butt onto the ground. "Let's just say that sometimes the past is best left forgotten. Some things aren't meant to be remembered. You would know about that." Usagi's eyes never left the garden.

"Maybe I do."

* * *

It was late in the evening when Motoki found himself closing up the restaurant. The day was long and difficult. He just couldn't get a hold of his emotions. One day he is living his life and the next day, it's turned upside. Usagi was a mess. Mamoru comes out of nowhere. He's a bigger mess. They were spending the day together. "What the fuck?" Motoki mumbled, locking the door with the keys. There had to be a reason for everything. He once read that a person goes to major life changes in every six months; but at the rate his life was going, it was every six hours. The blonde turned towards his apartment and started his journey home, if that was the same anymore.

The walk home was only twenty-minutes. Upon his arrival, Motoki found his younger sister, Unazaki sleeping peacefully in her room. "At least you are where you belong." He smiled as before kissing her on the forehead. He sat down at her desk where she conspicuously left his his stolen laptop. He only shook his head before opening the Internet browser and directing to a search engine. His curiosity was getting the best of him. Where in the hell was Mamoru Chiba for the past five years and what did he do to come running back? As Motoki typed in his former best friend's name, the instant search results were more than enough to send him running to Usagi's house.

* * *

Further across Juuban, Mamoru and Usagi walked silently in the dark of evening. Usagi insisted on walking him home and Mamoru stopped debating her about it. They walked side by side, Usagi bundled in a large gray Juuban University hoodie and Mamoru settled into his blazer. Their feet tapped silently across the cold pavement, the only sounds of the night. As they approached Mamoru's apartment building, he stopped in his tracks. "This is the bat cave." He smirked, rubbing his hair. Usagi smiled at him sweetly in response. "You sure you're going to be ok? It's late, Odango." Usagi's eyes widened.

"What did you just call me?" She asked, taking a step back. Mamoru felt himself flinch. _Oh fuck_.

"Odango?" He said, watching her face express uncertainty.

"Where did you hear that?" She demanded. "Why did you call me that?" He saw the ferocious look in her eyes and he mentally kicked himself. _Fuck, fuck, fuck, think Mamoru, think._

"I must have heard Motoki say it earlier or something." He said nervously, nearly pulling at his hair.

"Motoki has not called me that ever. Nobody has called me that since. Nobody has done that. Oh God." Usagi gasped for air, her hands covering her mouth. She took a step closer to Mamoru, pulling his long hair back. Her eyes only grew wide as they filled with tears. She felt memories flooding her all at once. "You are here. Oh how could I be so stupid? Motoki and the fight, you knowing where I lived. How could I be so stupid? How did I forget? How did I know not it was _you_?" Usagi let her hands fall to her side as tears rolled down her pale cheeks. Mamoru felt the lump growing in his throat. She was remembering what happened. She knew his was.

"Usagi, I can explain. I just. I fucked up then. I'm just all screwed. I was so arrogant. I didn't know what I needed." Mamoru stammered. His anxiety was growing again. He didn't need another attack. Not here and not right now. Not in front of _her_.

"But I needed you. I didn't have anyone else. How dare you Mamoru? How fucking dare you?" Usagi sobbed, stepping further away from him. He saw every inch of pain in her eyes and it killed him. His heart was racing now and his breathing was soon to go next. She rubbed her bangs slowly, trying to compose herself. _He will not do this again. He will not break me_.

"I know what I am. I know what I've done wrong. Just forgive me." He said quietly, looking to the ground. Usagi only shook her head, wiping her tears away with the sleeves of her hoodie. "Usako, please." Mamoru pleaded.

"Don't." She stated. "Don't do this to me. Don't call me that. Don't pretend like things are ok between us. Don't pretend like you didn't abandon me. You never loved me Mamoru. You never did! I was a child. I was too stupid to understand what was going on."

"Don't tell me I never loved you!" Mamoru yelled, grabbing Usagi by the shoulders. She felt herself sober up quickly. "I was a kid too! I take responsibility for my actions. When am I going to stop paying for the mistakes I've made? When will these ghosts stop haunting me with the mistakes of my past? I thought you were better than that." He felt his grip loosen on the petite girl. She allowed her head to drop, wiping away more tears.

"Just give me time, ok. Give me time to process this shitstorm that has become my life. I just put my parents in the ground. I need time to heal. I can be there for you. I just need to figure some things out." She said softly, running her hand through his jet black hair. "I can't believe this is happening. I'll come to you when I'm ready." She placed her finger over his lips before walking back into the night.

* * *

**What? I know, I have plenty to reveal, explain, and more time with the other girls. I have so much fun writing Ami in this. She's a doll. Also, no JB fans were hurt during the writing on this story, lol. It's a joke you guys! I'm sure the same could have been made about BSB/NSYNC fans back in my day. Until next time, **_**au revoir**_**.**


	10. Chapter 10

**Author's Note: I'm so glad this chapter is finally finished! It was hell to write, literally. I just felt pulled here and there but I am pleased with the final result. I hope you like it as well! Thank you to all of my reviewers and please take a peek at **_**When Reality Isn't Destiny**_** if you haven't had a chance.**

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, characters, concepts, or etc.

* * *

Bruises and Chocolate  
Chapter 10

Usagi walked through her front gate to find Motoki sitting at her doorstep. "It's late you know." Motoki stated simply. The blonde girl only smiled weakily and sat next to him. She nervously pulled on the sleeves of her hoodie, breathing deeply. Motoki looked down at her hands, noticing she was nearly trembling. "Usa, what happened?" Motoki asked, turning to face her. She looked at him, her eyes full of questions and concerns. "Have you been crying?" Usagi only nodded in response, remaining silent. "What happened? Usagi, talk to me." Motoki demanded.

"I know, Motoki. I know why you punched Mamoru the other day. I know why you are upset with him." She said quietly, looking Motoki in the eyes.

"Oh Usagi." Motoki said wrapping his arms around her. Usagi placed her head on his shoulder as the tears began to fall. How could she have forgotten?

* * *

_Fourteen year-old Usagi Tsukino skipped happily through the corridors of a large apartment building. She was exhausted after two weeks at Juuban High School she was positive she was going to drop out and open a store. School was just hard. She barely passed her entrance exams, all thanks to the help of her boyfriend._

_Six months prior, Usagi found herself out at the movies with her best friends Motoki and Mamoru. Sure the boys were three years her senior but they had been friends since childhood. That night the three of them, well the two boys, convinced her to go see the latest action movie. Mamoru pleaded with her father, his previous foster dad, to allow the young girl to stay out with them. After much consideration and a few promises to mow the lawn, Kenji accepted Mamoru's offer._

_Now Usagi was wedged in between the two boys, holding the popcorn as usual, while the movie's ending credits scrolled onto the screen. "That was bloody awful." Usagi groaned. "Next time, we're going to see the RomCom."_

"_One, language Usa, and two, over my dead body." The seventeen year-old, dark-haired boy to her left protested. The sandy-haired blonde to her right only laughed._

"_I'll watch one with you, Usagi. Mamoru's just being an asshole." Motoki said. Usagi smiled, kissing Motoki on the cheek._

"_Hey! Not fair! He always get the love." Mamoru protested as the three of them exited the theater. _

"_Well, he's nice to me." Usagi stated simply. She stood nearly a foot shorter than both of the boys at an even five feet. She wore her long blonde hair up in two buns or "odangoes" as Mamoru would call them. She wore a floral sundress with her hands in the pockets of the dress. Motoki grinned and Mamoru smacked him in the head._

"_Oh look at the time." Motoki said suddenly. "I have to head home. You two have fun." Motoki nudged Mamoru's side before hurrying off. Usagi looked up at Mamoru, raising an eyebrow._

"_What is up with him? Since when does he run off?" The girl asked. Mamoru shrugged his shoulders, guiding her in the direction towards her house._

"_You know how Motoki is. He's all weird. It must be puberty." Mamoru said nervously, as he rubbed his hair. Usagi turned to look at him, noticing Mamoru looking down at her. _

"_You're as red as your shirt. What is going on, Mamoru?" Usagi demanded as she stood in front of him. "Plus you are getting all sweaty like when you're nervous. What are you and Motoki-kun up to?" _

"_Usa, I have to tell you something." Mamoru said, holding her hand. Usagi's eyes got wide and filled with concern._

"_You're not dying are you? Oh no! That explains why you let me have your pudding the other day. Mamoru is dying!" Usagi exploded, her eyes filling with tears. Mamoru felt his head drop as he rolled his eyes._

"_No Usagi." He sighed, watching as she let out a big sigh. _

"_Don't scare me like that." She frowned, hitting his chest. Mamoru rubbed his sore chest and frowned. "Ok, what are you trying to say? Spit it out or my dad will kill us for being late."_

"_Ok." Mamoru said, pulling Usagi close to him. He pressed his lips against hers, holding her waist. Usagi felt her heart melt but confusion as she drifted away from him. "I think I may love you." _

_Usagi used her key to open the door the the apartment in front of her. As she stepped inside, she noticed everything missing and in dissarray. "What the hell?" She mumbled as panic began to set in. She ran into the bedroom to find Motoki sitting on the bed with a note in his hand. "Motoki?" She asked, quietly. Motoki looked up at his friend, his eyes red and puffy. "Are you crying? What's wrong, Motoki? Where's Mamo-chan?" She asked as she sat next to him. Motoki only passed her the piece of paper in his hand as he rubbed his eyes._

"_I hope I never see that bastard again." Motoki growled. Usagi gasped as she felt tears in her eyes. How could he?_

* * *

"I just don't understand. I feel like that entire part of my life was forgotten. Not only that but why is he back here in the first place?" Usagi asked. She stood in her parents' kitchen with Motoki as they both sipped tea. Her eyes still showed signs of her earlier crying spell. Now she was engaged in deep thought regarding Mamoru's motives.

"I have an idea. I read something online, which is why I'm here." Motoki said, placing his mug on the counter. Usagi looked at him, waiting for an explanation. "There was a girl murdered at one of his events about three years ago." Usagi audibly gasped, taken aback by the news. She thought about Mamoru's words earlier, _I haven't had pleasant experiences, somewhat similar to yours. _"Well, obviously no one was out to kill an innocent girl, Usagi. Someone was out for him. As far as the American authorities are concerned, no one was ever caught for the murder. Mamoru apparently burned a lot of bridges by leaving America. Some people would pay a lot of money for his head."

"There's just too much going on right now. I can't deal with Mamoru's problems. I have my own. I can't even get my brother to communicate with me. This kid always drags us right in the middle of his problems." Usagi sighed, looking over at Motoki. Motoki only smirked.

"That's Mamoru for you." He smiled. Usagi gave him a weak smile in return. "Let's figure this out. The sooner we get him in a safe position is the sooner we can get him to bring Shingo back home. Mamoru and Shingo were always really close." Usagi nodded silently, remembering the times the two of them would pick on her. "Your parents would want you to help him, Usagi. Your dad would have in a heartbeat and probably smacked him upside the head afterwards." Usagi heard the hope in Motoki's voice. She heard the longing of his friendship with Mamoru.

"Fine." She agreed. "I will need the girls' help though."

"That won't go over too well with the girls."

"Oh please, what's the worst that could happen?"

* * *

Georgina sat quietly in her seat with her MacBook displayed in front of her. She couldn't think. Her mind was everywhere. Her pale hands were damp with sweat. She frowned at the realization before wiping her palms down with napkins. She looked down at her perfectly manicured fingers and grimaced. Her best friend's blood had been all over those hands. She remember screaming as the blood continued to pour out in what seemed to be gallons. The newly blonde girl squeezed her eyes shut to erase the memories. She was going to avenge Saki's death. Mamoru would pay for what he had done.

* * *

Usagi and Mamoru watched as four pairs of eyes stared blankly at them. The two called an "official" meeting to discuss the current situation and also have an excuse to order pizza. It was a long time since they were able to get together and hang out. The girls sat quietly on the floor, processing what their friends unveiled. Minako was the first of the four to quickly raise her hand, stretching regally as she did so.

"Yes, Mina-chan?" Usagi asked as she sipped green tea from her mug. The blonde sitting on the floor smiled before standing to her socked feet. She wore a pair of dark wash skinny jeans and an off-the-shoulder striped orange and cream sweater. She pulled her sleeves up to her elbows and cleared her throat.

"Get on with it." Rei complained as she twirled cheese around her finger.

"I just have one question. What in the everlasting fuck?" She said throwing her hands in the air. Usagi only sighed while Motoki held back laughter.

"I know it's a lot girls. Seriously, it's a lot to take in, but this is my life. I apparently get myself into situations." Usagi explained. She took in the atmosphere of the room. She felt chills run down her spine. When was the last time she had all of her friends in her house? She could imagine Shingo working his way through pick-up lines with all of the girls. Her father giving everyone unwanted dating advice. Her mother would be filling the room with food and baked goods until everyone was in a food coma. It would be such a great time.

"Usagi." Motoki whispered, bringing Usagi back to her cold reality. Reality was nothing like she expected her life to be.

"Gomennasi." Usagi whispered back.

"I don't see why not." A quiet voice spoke up. Everyone turned to Ami who was sitting elegantly with her legs cross. Her short blue bob was pulled up into a ponytail atop of her head. Her glasses sat on her face but no one could deny the serious glare in the genius's eyes. "Up until this week, I have been dedicated to only my coursework, professors, and my GPA. I was barely there for you, Usagi-chan, during everything. I am extremely apologetic regarding my behavior and my priorities. I have the upmost faith in the two of you. I know you have exceeded my expectations of what I believed friendship truly was. If Chiba-san was a good friend of yours, he deserves to be given a fair chance. Not everyone is born with the same psychological capabilities." Usagi felt her heart warm and before she could register her thoughts, she found herself in Ami's warm embrace, allowing the tears to fall. The other girls were quick to join as Usagi's sobs became audible. She cried for her parents, she cried for her friends, she cried for herself, but more than anything, she cried for Mamoru.

* * *

**I know this chapter was a little short but it's developing. I had to end it there for the next chapter will be full of...stuff :P **


	11. Chapter 11

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! I am SO sorry this has taken so long to write. Again, this story is so out of my element and unlike anything I have ever written so it's hard for me to figure out where I want it to go. I think I have made up my mind this time so let's hope the story can develop more rapidly at this point. It's been almost four years since I started! Sorry guys. I will finish this one. **

**If you are looking for something less AU and more senshi-oriented I just finished _When Reality Isn't Destiny_ and began the sequel, _Guardians of Destiny_. If you are looking for something short and easy, there is _100 Moments: Falling In Love_ now at 66 drabbles! I should be finishing that one up soon. **

**Again, thank you to all of my readers/reviewers up to this point. I am so sorry about this story and the way I let it fall to the wayside. I won't forget you, I promise!**

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, characters, concepts, or etc.

* * *

Bruises and Chocolate  
Chapter 11

Mamoru pulled the heavy black duvet over his head. His alarm clock was torturing him at this point, mocking him for being unable to get out of bed. How could he have screwed up so badly, again? At this point fate only kept him around as a social experiment. He replayed the scene with Usagi in his mind over and over again. How would he fix things? She probably never wanted to see him again. He would die alone. He deserved it. As soon as his thoughts began to die down, Mamoru noticed the alarm clock was silent. He heard shuffling around in his room. _I'm going to die during a house invasion. Great._ The shuffling continued until he heard footsteps walking to his bed. Mamoru closed his eyes tightly as he felt the duvet being pulled away from him. Expecting to be shot or stabbed, Mamoru squinted out of one eye to see the one who would end it all.

"So this is the bachelor pad of the great disappearing Mamoru Chiba, eh? I expected worse." Usagi smiled slightly. Mamoru cursed himself for being half naked in front of her. She looked amazing. Her blonde locks were in loose curls, framing her face. She wore a skin-tight black turtleneck underneath a large gray jumper dress. She wore matching black sweater tights with gray boots she only bothered to lace up halfway. It was probably the most dressed up he had seen her since his return. He made a mental note not to comment on the fact that she was still in her mourning clothes. _One day at a time, Einstein. One day at time. _

"How did you get in?" Mamoru asked, pulling his duvet back over his bare chest. Usagi pretended not to notice but Mamoru caught the slight blush on her pale cheeks.

"I told your landlord I was your girlfriend, visiting as a surprise." The blonde stated as she started to sort through the magazines laid all over his coffee table. Usagi noticed quickly that a younger version of the man in front of her was on every cover. English was never her strongest subject but she could make out most of the cover story titles. Some were excellent, praising his singing voice and his charisma. Others were almost too painful to finish. He was a rumored playboy, a diva, unappreciative, addicted to drugs, an alcoholic, and more. She felt remorse start to run through her veins. This Mamoru was certainly not the Mamoru she had once loved. He was horrible, according to the magazines. What if she was wrong about him? What if he would hurt her as well?

"I can't believe she bought that. She hates me." Mamoru stated.

"Well, she did. So get up and go shower. We're taking a trip." Usagi announced, turning to face him. Mamoru groaned, covering his head with the duvet once again. Usagi pulled the cover away from him, taking it with her this time. "Out of bed, now." The command in her voice made Mamoru somewhat afraid to find out what she was capable of. He looked at her, pouting. Usagi only shook her head and pointed towards his bathroom door.

"Fine." He mumbled, dragging himself to the bathroom.

* * *

Her assignment was simple. She would have two days in Tokyo and two vacation days for the weekend. Georgina was nervous. She paced back and forth in her hotel room. She didn't sleep at all on the fourteen hour flight. Her platinum blonde hair was wrapped in a messy bun above her head. Her straight blunt bangs framed her face perfectly. She had dark circles forming over the pale skin underneath her eyes. She could not imagine what else to do. How would she find him? How would she track him down? Her Japanese was lousy enough as it was. How was she going to make it around? The thoughts began to race as she felt her anxiety increase. She would find him, she had to. Saki's death would never be avenged if she gave up now.

She pulled a silky garment over her head, allowing a sheer black polka dot dress to cover her body. Georgina's fingers ran over a pair of solid black tights before she pulled them over each leg. Slipping her feet into basic black Louboutin pumps, she collected her laptop sleeve and the abandoned black Birkin bag from the floor and exited the room into a busy hallway. Before she could collect her thoughts, the company's Blackberry began to buzz uncontrollably. _Do my job first, kill Mamoru later_. The blonde nodded at her internal dialogue before walking towards the elevators.

* * *

Mamoru groaned as he was dragged back into Motoki's café. The last thing he wanted to do was face Motoki after he had made Usagi cry. Motoki was probably going to murder him. Surprisingly, Motoki greeted the pair with a smile and a mug of black coffee. "For the cranky morning person." Motoki smiled, passing Mamoru the mug.

"Thank you." Mamoru said simply, indulging in the dark liquid. "Colombian?"

"Of course." Motoki nodded. "Iced latte for you, Usa?" He asked. Usagi nodded as Motoki walked towards the kitchen.

"So where are we headed?" Mamoru asked, once he felt the caffeine begin to revive him. He watched as her eyes began to light up, something he hadn't seen from her in years. He missed that look in her eyes, the look of excitement.

"Nozawa Onsen." She smiled, afraid of Mamoru's response. She watched as Mamoru's face fell, his expression one of desperation.

"Let's not." He responded. "It'll take forever to get there. I can't ski. It's cold enough here as is." The girl only sighed, taking his hand into hers.

"Please." She asked, now allowing herself to pout and bat her long eyelashes. "I need a vacation."

"If you say no to that face, you have no soul." Motoki's voice chimed in, placing an iced latte on the counter in front of Usagi. Mamoru looked at the girl before him and felt his heart breaking all over again.

"Fine." He sighed. "Only on one condition."

"Anything!" Usagi exclaimed, her eyes full of stars.

He pulled her close to him. "I'm bunking with you." He whispered in her ear. Usagi felt her cheeks become warm at the thought.

"S-sure?" She said, nodding her head. Mamoru smiled, indulging once more into his coffee.

* * *

Ami sat quietly as she observed her friends scramble around Rei and Minako's dorm room in a frenzy. She read quietly from her Advanced Microbiology text book, using a yellow highlighter to mark notes in between Rei piling clothes into an already over-packed suitcase and Minako throwing shoes over her head. "I'm not prepared!" The sound of Minako's voice whined from her bedroom. Makoto busied herself with preparing snacks for the long journey. Ami felt herself become somewhat envious of Makoto's ability to escape from the madness.

"I can't believe Daddy owns property all the way out in Nozawa Onsen. How could he hide such a pivotal secret from me?" Rei asked, now sitting on her bright red suitcase.

"Is that a serious question, Rei?" Ami asked sarcastically, turning a page. Rei glared at the blue-haired girl, sticking her tongue out at her.

"You're such a buzzkill, Ames." Rei stated.

"Well, I, for one, am very excited about seeing the hot springs and getting out of Juuban. Everything reminds me of the accident. I need fresh air. I need cute guys snowboarding. I need a break!" Makoto called from the kitchen. The girls all nodded in agreement.

"Usagi's going to get some." Minako sang, pulling her oversized orange rolling suitcase from her bedroom.

"How do you know?" Rei asked, pulling a red cardigan over the black strapless maxi dress she was wearing.

"Motoki just texted me and told me that he needed a bunk mate because Mamoru is bunking with Usagi-chan." The blonde squealed, clapping happily.

"Well he had better not be taking advantage of our Usagi-chan. There is something about that kid that still doesn't resonate well with me. He's bad news." Makoto now stood in the doorway, with a hand full of bento boxes. "And on that note, I'll gladly bunk with Motoki." She smiled, blushing.

"Over my dead body!" Minako announced, dropping her luggage onto Rei's foot. Ami only shook her head, turning another page in her text book. _Damn girls._

* * *

The afternoon was beginning to make its way over Juuban as Mamoru sat on Usagi's bed. The girl was arranging clothes from her closet into a medium-sized duffel bag. "Are you sure that bag is going to be large enough? I know how you women get." Mamoru questioned, watching Usagi neatly fold every piece of clothing she placed out.

"You don't know much about me as woman, Mamoru. As for the bag, it's more than fine. If I need another, I'm sure there is a gift shop out there." Usagi's voice was quiet with no infliction or emotion. Mamoru only watched her prepare her travel belongings in silence. This Usagi was a complete mystery to him. Every now and again there would be a glimpse of the Usagi he once knew; but for the most part, that girl was long gone. He almost felt as if she were teasing him. She was putting him through the motions to see how far she could get with him emotionally. Or was she just simply trying to push forward through grieving? Mamoru couldn't put his hands on it. He needed to know what was going on. He wanted to know where he stood with the girl he once loved more than anything. Now he was questioning if he still felt those feelings for her at all. Did she still love him as well? He was confused more now than ever. "Anyone home?" Mamoru broke away from his thoughts to see Usagi hovering over him.

"Sorry, was thinking about something." Mamoru smiled weakly. Usagi ran a hand through his long black locks.

"Do you like your hair long?" She asked, gently pulling a few strands. Mamoru nodded and Usagi smiled. "You look cute." She allowed her fingers to dance over the slight facial hair the man before her was growing and she held back her giggles. "I never figured we would grow up and become adults. You, Motoki, and I were the best of friends. Remember how we would pick on Shingo and he would cry and tell mom?" Mamoru laughed at the memory of Shingo being less than ten years-old, crying at Ikuko's legs and Ikuko scolding him and Usagi for not including Shingo in the big kid games.

"Remember when Kenji found out that you and I were dating? He didn't speak to me for weeks." Mamoru laughed. Usagi smiled at the memory of Kenji attempting to punish her.

"Mama made him sleep on the couch until he called you and apologized. She was so happy for us." Usagi said, her voice barely above a whisper. Mamoru looked over to see the girl's eyes full of ears.

"Oh, Usagi." Mamoru said, wrapping his arms around her. "It's ok to cry, you know. I won't judge you." He whispered as he felt her succumb to her emotions.

"Nothing will ever be the same." Usagi sobbed quietly. Mamoru pulled away from her, wiping her tears with his hands.

"You never know, maybe some things aren't as different as they seem." He smiled taking her hands in his own. _I sure hope so._

* * *

**Can I just say how much I love Ami in this story? She is definitely my go-to character when sarcasm is needed. Thanks for reading!**


	12. Chapter 12

**Author's Note: I'm super excited for this chapter! It's one of those *so the plot thickens* type chapters. There are also loads of random moments between the girls, Motoki, and Mamoru. It's a little bit of a filler chapter but again, SO THE PLOT THICKENS. Stay tuned!**

**Many thanks to all of my reviewers: SerentiyMoonGodness, Ash, TropicalRemix (We'll see!), CharmedSerenity3, and preettygabbysz. Many thanks to all of the other readers/watchers as well! I'm here to serve. **

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, characters, concepts, or etc.

* * *

Bruises and Chocolate  
Chapter 12

Motoki stood in between Makoto and Minako as they exchanged retorts back and forth regarding who would be sharing a room with him. He occasionally glanced to Ami and Rei for help but both girls were too busy pretending not to notice what was going on. The five friends stood outside the train station's parking lot awaiting Usagi and Mamoru's arrival. Motoki initially thought that he could endure the bullet train ride from Tokyo Station to Nagano Station. After ten minutes of Makoto and Minako fighting over who sat next to him, he began to worry that he made a mistake. Now he had come to the conclusion that if he didn't have Mamoru or Usagi around to offset the balance of his demise, he was going to die in Nagano. As if on cue, the sound of a motorcycle interrupted the girls' argument. "Thank you." Motoki mumbled to the sky as he watched Usagi and Mamoru pull up on Mamoru's motorcycle.

"Somebody looks cozy." Rei joked as Mamoru helped Usagi off the back of his bike. Usagi only stuck her tongue out at her friend, pulling the helmet off of her head. Before she could catch her footing, she was met with a large hug from Motoki.

"Save me from Mina and Mako, please." He pleaded in her ear which caused the girl to smile.

"Don't get too cozy." Minako said, sending a warning to Usagi. Usagi only responded by patting Motoki's back slowly while Mamoru kept his distance. He observed the large group of girls before him and felt sadness. They all looked as if they were best friends and here he was imposing on a life he chose to leave behind. He felt his anxiety build as thoughts began to fill his mind. Makoto finally pulled Motoki away from Usagi, wrapping her arms around him.

"Ok, ladies. This is Mamoru Chiba. He's an old friend of Motoki and me." Usagi started, her voice shaking with nervousness. "He went away to be a super famous idol in America and since that didn't work out, he's back here to help me wallow in my self-pity. Mamoru the crazed one with Motoki in her death grip is Makoto Kino. She is our resident in-house chef. Next to her is Minako Aino who also wants to be an idol. Rei Hino is a priestess, singer, and poor University student. Ami Mizuno is a complete genius who is really sweet. Ladies, Mamoru. Mamoru, ladies." Mamoru and the five girls exchanged greetings and bows while Usagi watched. _This won't end badly. It won't end badly._

"The bus leaves soon so we should get boarded." Ami announced, her voice quiet and stern as usual. Usagi nodded in agreement as she collected her bags from the back of Mamoru's motorcycle.

"What about Motoki's roommate? Usagi, should Motoki bunk with me or Makoto?" Minako asked, her high-pitched voice more whiny than normally.

"Ami will be Motoki's bunkmate." Usagi announced. Four jaws dropped in response, including Ami's own.

"But, Usagi." The blue-haired girl started. Usagi put her hand up to request silence.

"No buts, Ami-chan. Makoto and Minako can't make up their minds so you are the obvious choice. I think Motoki would appreciate a much quieter roommate." Usagi smiled. She watched as Ami's face became red. "So let's go. We can't be late." Usagi started her journey towards the bus stop and Mamoru followed quickly behind. Speechless, Makoto and Minako followed after while Rei joined them, laughing hysterically.

"Thank God." Motoki sighed, rubbing his forehead. "Don't worry Ami-chan. I'll be a gentleman." The boy commented, patting the smaller girl on the back.

"I'm going to die." Ami wheezed neurotically as she followed Motoki to the bus stop.

* * *

Georgina stood outside her hotel as she lit her cigarette. The fashion show she assisted with was hell. Many of the models appeared late, obviously strung out. One girl vomited on a pair of couture shoes. Much to her surprise, once the show started, it went off without a hitch. The women she had written off as failures became beautiful works of arts. They wore the gowns and walked the runway with ease and grace. The longer she worked in fashion was the longer she felt Saki's passion for it. The designers, though normally cold and unfeeling, could create artwork with fabrics. Her heart yearned for the days she stood backstage at Alexander McQueen. His designs were her favorite. Shortly after his death, she felt herself disconnect with the fashion world. She was tired of losing people she cared for. The more she thought of it was the more she resented Mamoru. The coward continued to live everyday without paying any respects to Saki or her family. Georgina exhaled deeply, blowing smoke into the evening air.

"You have a light?" A male voice echoed its way into her thoughts, bringing her back to reality. She turned to her right to see a taller boy, wearing a black gakuran with a backpack slung over his shoulders. He was a little over six feet, slender. His hair was a sandy blonde and his eyes were a deep green. She felt a small fluttering in her chest, something she hadn't felt in years. When was the last time she even had contact with a heterosexual member of the opposite sex? Months? Years?

"Yeah." She replied, throwing her cigarette to the ground. She reached into her coat pocket and pulled out a silver lighter with black kenji vinyl adorning it. The boy smiled, pulling a cigarette from his back pocket. He held the lighter up to the street light above them.

"Saki? You look pretty white for a Saki." The boy laughed in English, lighting his cigarette. Georgina only smirked in response, finding her second cigarette.

"Georgina. My name is Georgina." She responded in Japanese, her eyes meeting his. He placed the lighter back in her pocket before taking a long drag of his cigarette.

"Well, Georgina, thank you for being my savior. This class trip has been the week from hell. If I didn't smoke something, I was going to go insane." He replied, now switching back to his native Japanese.

"Is the weed good in Tokyo?" Georgina asked, catching the boy off guard. He laughed in response and shook his head.

"Not as great as Holland, of course. How long are you here for?" He asked, taking a final drag of his cigarette.

"Tokyo, one day. After that, I have two days to roam the country. Be afraid." She smiled as she turned to face him.

"Well, once you're done working tomorrow night. We'll kiss Tokyo goodbye and take a trip to the mountainside. I know of a place where pretty little rich girls can have a good time." The boy smiled. Georgina felt herself beginning to get lost in his smile. Dangerous boys were always her weakness. Not to mention if she had a guide, she could make her way around the country to find Mamoru. Things could only get better from here.

"Sounds like a plan." She said.

"Great. See you here tomorrow night, Georgina-chan." The boy joked as he made his way towards the door of the hotel.

"Wait!" Georgina called, catching his attention. "What's your name?"

"Shingo. Don't forget it, beautiful." With his final words, she watched the boy make his way back into the hotel. She sighed, leaning against the wall once more.

"Do not fall for this kid, Georgie." She whispered into the air, hoping she could keep her feelings separate from her mission. It was going to be harder than she could ever imagine.

* * *

An eternity seemed to past before the bus finally stopped. "Finally!" Minako exclaimed once the group had gathered their belongings. "My butt was beginning to fall asleep."

"Agreed. How far do we have to walk, Rei?" Makoto asked, zipping her jacket up. The winds were fiercer than she anticipated.

"Not too far. Daddy said it was close to the bus stop." The dark-haired beauty answered as she pulled out her cell phone. She tapped the screen a few times and passed it to Ami. "What does the map say, Ami-chan?" Ami looked down at Rei's phone and then turned her head to the left. She looked back to the phone and passed it back to Rei.

"It's three buildings to your left." The girl answered as she pulled her bag over her shoulder. Rei laughed nervously, placing her phone back into her pocket.

"I knew that." She smirked as the group followed Ami.

With a flick of her wrist, Rei unlocked the heavy wooden door and pushed it open. "Holy shit." She gasped once she walked inside. The girls, Mamoru, and Motoki followed closely behind, all audibly expression surprise.

"Why does your dad needs this huge place?" Makoto asked as she walked further down into the main living area. The house was two stories with grand dark wooden floors and chic modern décor. The main living area featured a two story ceiling with a large black leather sectional surrounding a 55" LED television mounted above the fireplace. The floor of the living area was covered with a large brown and cream cowhide area rug. The wooden coffee table in the center of the area was covered with various business magazines. The group all walked together, becoming acquainted with the spacious first floor.

They continued to be surprised by the fully-stocked kitchen and well-designed kitchen. It was when the group met the large master suite on the first floor when things became hectic. "Total dibs you guys. We have the most people." Minako stated as she placed her large luggage on the couch.

"We wouldn't be here if it weren't for Usagi-chan." Motoki interrupted.

"No, we wouldn't be here if it weren't for me and my ridiculously wealthy father.' Rei interjected. The group continued to argue while Mamoru grabbed Usagi's hand and pulled her out of the bedroom. He placed a finger over her lips and pulled her up the stairs. They both entered the first room they saw and closed the door behind them.

"Do you hear that?" He asked her, once she sat on the bed.

"Hear what?" She asked, listening for quiet noises.

"Exactly. Pure silence. This room is perfect." Mamoru smiled as he placed his bag on the floor. The girl laughed, lying back onto the bed. "Your friends are an opinionated bunch." He sat beside her, pulling his shoes off.

"I love them just the way they are." Usagi replied as she allowed her eyes to close.

"Of course you would. You love everyone the way they are." Mamoru responded. "Odango?"

"Hm?" The girl responded.

"Thank you for bringing me here. I needed a vacation. Also, thanks for giving me a second chance. I never thought I would ever see you again. I'm really glad I'm here." Mamoru sighed as he pulled his feet up into the bed. He waited for a response but was only met with silence. "Usagi?" He turned to face the girl who was fast asleep. He smiled, pulling the blankets over her sleeping form. "Goodnight Odango." He whispered as he kissed her on the forehead.

* * *

**I am so excited to develop Shingo for this story. I kept debating if I wanted him in or out but he's definitely in and he plays a key role! I hope you enjoyed. See you next time.**


	13. Chapter 13

**Author's Note: ****Happy 2013! I'm happy to be back and updating. I know this is taking **_**forever**_** but the next few chapters will be intense so keep in touch!**

**Many thanks to all of my reviewers: Ash, ****Goddess of the Moonlit Sky, SerenityMoonGoddess, Ami-chanMercury98****. Many thanks to all of the other readers/watchers as well! **

Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or any of its themes, characters, concepts, or etc.

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Bruises and Chocolate  
Chapter 13

The morning air was quiet and still. A few snowflakes fluttered in the brisk wind. Rei inhaled through her diaphragm as she looked up to the sky. As much as she enjoyed this getaway with her friends, the pain of her estranged relationship with her father lingered. Exhaling deeply, Rei allowed herself to drift into a meditative state of mind. Rei's father was a very influential political power. He was currently a member of the House of Councillors. He held powerful relationships with nearly every member of the National Diet of Japan. She'd only discussed her estrangement with her father once upon meeting Usagi all those years ago. The guilt she still struggled with after the death of the Tsukino's resulted in dozens of sleepless nights. She was just _angry_. How could fate take away the people who gave Usagi such joy but let the political scumbags like her father roam the planet? Why could people like her father, who used their power to achieve everything, live freely without any repercussions? The raven-haired priestess inhaled once more, allowing her mind to become calm. Despite the relationship with her father, there were other things at hand during this trip. Mostly, she felt as if it were her responsibility to keep Motoki alive and keep Usagi in reality. She wanted to, but she couldn't trust this Mamoru. As she learned with her father, people who have the power to erase their past mistakes were usually bad news. Her thoughts came to a halt as she heard the sliding screen door open and close quietly behind it. "Good morning, Usagi." Rei smiled without moving an inch. She heard the girl shuffle and sit beside her on the patio.

"How'd you know it was me?" Usagi asked. Her blonde hair was pulled atop of her head in a messy bun with her bangs swept to one side. She pulled her gloved fingers up to her face and blew warmth into her cold hands.

"Your footsteps and you always smell like vanilla and roses." Rei said as she turned to face her friend.

"I never learned to meditate. I'm envious of you. I sometimes wish my parents had been a little bit more spiritual, outside of festivals that involved food. We never prayed the way we should have." Usagi stated as she looked out at the ground amongst them. A white blanket of purity surrounded them. How could anything go wrong? Rei laughed softly.

"You are fine Usagi. I'm spiritual enough for the both of us and maybe Ami and Motoki. Not enough for Mina and Mako. They need extra prayers." Usagi smiled as she grabbed her friends hands.

"Am I an idiot for giving him a chance Rei? Am I just lonely and desperate?" Usagi asked. Rei squeezed her friends hands slightly.

"What does your heart tell you, Odango?" Usagi closed her eyes and focused.

"It tells me to try. It tells me to trust."

"Then listen to your heart. You can only try. You believe in second chances. You believe in Mamoru. I don't know as much about him as I would like to but you like the guy. See where your heart takes you." Usagi nodded in agreement. She stood on her knees and wrapped her arms around Rei. "Oh for fuck's sake, you sensitive types." Usagi only smiled.

"Thank you Rei. Thank you for allowing us to come here. I know it's not easy with you and Councilman Hino. For what it's worth, I really do appreciate what you've done." The blonde said quietly. Rei only patted her on the back in return.

"Thanks Odango. Go and figure out what's for breakfast. I'm sure the others will be up in a moment." Usagi nodded in agreement and in a few moments, Rei was alone once more.

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Shingo sat quietly in his room as he began to pack his bags. His school left early in the morning. He promised his teacher he would return after break. He smiled as he thought of the girl from last night. Was she really crazy enough to go to the mountains with him? He picked up a blue scarf off of his bed and sighed. He remembered the day his mother gave them to him and his sister.

_Shingo sat in the living room with Usagi as he played video games. Usagi lay sprawled out on the couch reading an English novel from Jane Austen or someone or the other. She had been quiet for the past few months after Mamoru was gone. It was as if he never existed. They never spoke about it. Shingo hated him for what happened between him and his sister. Kenji entered the living room with his newspaper and sat in the lounging recliner. _

_ "This snow is never going to let up. Fourteen inches tomorrow, they say. It's madness! I'm only covering stories about snowed in houses and space heater fires." The man groaned as he thumbed through the articles._

_ "And we still have to go to school because?" A young Shingo asked, hitting the pause button. He looked as his father with puppy dog eyes. "It's cold outside, father." He used his innocent voice and Kenji snorted in retort. _

_ "Because you can put on your big boy pants and stop complaining about it." Kenji responded. Shingo only groaned, lying on his back. He looked up at Usagi whose eyes didn't leave her book. Usually she would be joining in with him, helping out his case. Now she only kept silent. _

_ "This sucks." Shingo mumbled. Ikuko finally entered the living room from the upstairs holding two knitted scarves in her hands._

_ "One for you, my precious son." She placed the blue scarf in Shingo's hand. She walked over to Usagi on the couch, placing a kiss on the top of her head. "One for you, my beautiful daughter." Usagi beamed over the light pink scarf in her hands._

_ "Thank you, Mama." The girl smiled as she wrapped her arms around her mother. Shingo slid in between the couch and Ikuko, joining in on the hug. _

Shingo took the scarf and wrapped it around his neck, wiping the slight tears from his eyes. He hated how much he missed them. Most of all, he missed Usagi. He should have called but he never did. He never wrote. He just left her there in that house _alone_. Shingo felt slight guilt creep up on him as he thought about her. Why couldn't he just be a man and be there for her? He did exactly what that asshole Mamoru did. When things got difficult, he left. "How could I be such a fucking idiot?" Shingo groaned as he sat on the bed. He held his head in his hands letting his thoughts overtake him. He had to make this right.

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Usagi felt her fingers trace over the light pink scarf in her suitcase. She felt anxiety pinching at her nerves. _Why today?_ She sighed as she closed the suitcase over the scarf, hoping it would make her feel better. Before she could make an additional move, she watched Mamoru walk into the room wrapped in only a towel. Her blood instantly rushed to her cheeks as she turned her head towards the floor. "Sorry!" The girl apologized, staring at her striped socks. Mamoru chuckled slightly and shook his head.

"It's no big deal. I just got out of the shower. I'm going to change." Mamoru made his way towards his suitcase on the floor, going through a ton of clothes.

"I can leave." Usagi responded immediately.

"You're fine. I'll be dressed in a minute." Usagi only whistled nervously as the towel hit her feet. She instinctively looked up to see Mamoru's backside as he slipped into a pair of black Armani boxer briefs. She began to feel flustered as she looked back down mouthing expletives to herself. _How could a man's ass be so perfect? _

"You can look now. I promise it's all nothing you've never seen before at this point." Mamoru smirked. The blonde covered her face with her hands and looked through her fingers to see Mamoru in a pair of black jeans, pulling a long sleeved black tee over his head. She slightly admired the cuts and lines of his figure and mentally slapped herself. _Get your shit together, Usagi. He's just a guy_. Mamoru walked over to her and moved her hands off of her face. "It's ok. I understand you're indulged in my flawlessness." Usagi only rolled her eyes and pushed him away.

"Ugh, you're disgusting sometimes." She snorted rolling her eyes.

"You love it." Mamoru smiled as he walked out of the room. Usagi only rubbed her burning cheeks before following him.

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Shingo stood outside of the hotel with his bags in his hand. His cell phone told him it was almost eight. He should have known she wouldn't be coming. He threw his duffle bag over his shoulder and started in the direction of the train station. The click of high heels shuffled behind him. "Hey you!" A voice yelled in English. He looked behind him to see Georgina dragging her wheeled carry-on in a pair of leopard print leggings, a long white tank top and a leather jacket. Her blonde hair was wavy covering her shoulders and she stood four inches taller in a pair of black leather Lita platform boots with a chunky wooden heel. "Were you going to leave me, douchebag?" She asked.

"You were late." Shingo responded as she walked up to him.

"Nice scarf. Knits on guys is sexy." Georgina smiled, her lips covered in blood red. Shingo only smirked and began walking off.

"Keep up, rich girl. You might get your heart stolen."

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**So much Shingo love this chapter! I know it's short but I have to keep it moving! :)**


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